THE BOSTON FIRE. 



THE BOSTON FIRE, 



November 9th and lOth, 1872. 



ITS HISTORY, 



TOGETHER WITH THE LOSSES IN DETAIL OF BOTH REAL AND 

PERSONAL ESTATE. ALSO, A COMPLETE 

LIST OF INSURANCE LOSSES, 



AN APPENDIX 

CONTAINING THE CITY LOAN, INSURANCE, AND BUILDING ACTS, 



BY 

F. E. FROTHINGHAM, 



Recently of the Assessors' Department. 



BOSTON: 
LEE & SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. 

NEW YORK: 

LEE, SHEPARD & DILLINGHAM. 
1S73. 



Fr.. 



> r 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by 

F. E. FROTHINGHAM, 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 

./ /I .^ 



PKIXTED AT 
HARTFORD, CONN. 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



There is a section of Boston lying south and east of 
State and Washington streets, and north of Summer street, 
which was once the home of her merchant princes, but 
which has been invaded by the onward march of trade. At 
the time of the calamity, the story of which we are about to 
relate, almost the entire territory within the lines mentioned 
was covered with palatial warehouses, built of granite, brick, 
and iron. The aristocratic mansions had been demolished, 
and in their places had risen magnificent palaces of trade, 
until every street in the district was flanked by the most sub- 
stantial and architecturally beautiful edifices on this conti- 
nent, if not in the world. 

In those lofty structures which graced Franklin, Summer, 
High, Pearl, Federal, Congress, and Devonshire streets, 
were piled up the accumulated products of Lowell, Lawrence, 
Manchester, Lewiston, and other milling places, as well as 
the results of the labor of toiling thousands in the boot and 
shoe manufactories throughout the eastern portion of Massa- 
chusetts. Here, too, was centred nearly all the large cloth- 
ing establishments, in which thousands of females found em- 
ployment ; the entire stock of wool within the domain of 



6 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

Boston was stored there ; several of the largest printing es- 
tablishments, crockery warehouses, and iron and wholesale 
furnishing and fancy goods stores were located in this district. 

Such was the section of the city of which we write, on 
the afternoon of the 9th of November, 1872, when seven 
hundred places of business within the black lines of the map 
were closed by the proprietors, who retired to their homes 
with the fullest confidence in the security of their posses- 
sions against fire and robbery. 

The Fire Department of Boston had long been a source 
of pride to its citizens, and challenged competition with any 
city in America, officered as it was by men whose long 
experience, cool judgment, and daring had met every exi- 
gency that years of municipal growth and commercial pros- 
perity required of them. A single but temporary defect 
existed in the department, occasioned by the prevalence of 
an epizootic influenza among the horses, which for several 
weeks had incapacitated this important branch of the depart- 
ment in the performance of their labors. While this fact 
was acknowledged as a defect, security was felt from the 
prompt and well-devised means which the Board had impro- 
vised. But an emergency seldom found in the known history 
of the world was before them. The alarm-bell from the 
now historic box, 52, signalled a fire, which was discovered 
almost instantly at every window of the large four-story 
granite building, with a French roof, situated at the corner 
of Summer and Kingston streets. The dread alarm of the 
tocsin was sounded throughout the city, and was repeated 
a second, third, and fourth time, summoning to the scene 
the entire Fire Department. The origin of the fire will 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 7 

ever remain a mystery, but from the best evidence that can 
be obtained, it resulted in some way from the fires of the 
furnaces which lay beneath the boilers in the basement, to 
heat the block with steam. Before the firemen were able 
to combat the flames, the fire had obtained complete mastery 
of the building, the interior of which being destroyed, the 
walls fell outward, spreading inflammable matter in every 
direction ; but, before the walls crumbled, the elastic flame, 
feeding upon the light materials of which the modern Man- 
sard roofs were canstructed, leaped across Summer street, and 
spread with remorseless fury from block to block, with a 
rapidity which baffled the exertions of their most determined 
opponents. Gathering heat and force at every point, and 
forcing back the determined firemen and the crowds of 
spe<)tators who had by this time assembled, the fire 
worked its way in the face of the wind, which was from a 
northerly direction, toward the wealthiest portion of this 
section. One after another the massive blocks crumbled and 
fell, and before midnight the flames had enveloped Winthrop 
square, both sides of Summer street below Trinity Church, 
and the buildings between Summer and Franklin streets, and 
rushing down Devonshire street to within a few doors of 
Milk street, had converted the long rows of granite and free- 
stone palaces of trade into red and roaring seas of flame. 
Dismayed, but still undaunted, the heroic firemen fought 
the common enemy. Realizing the inability of his own 
force to cope with so formidable an adversary, the chief of 
the department despatched messages over the electric wires, 
summoning assistance from the departments of other cities ; 
and from the towns in the immediate vicinity of Boston, 



8 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

and places more remote, firemen hastened with alacrity, 
some hauling their engines by hand, some by horses, and 
others brought in by railroads. At. half-past ten o'clock 
the fire had made such progress, that one who made the 
circuit of the flames at that hour, was compelled to pass 
through Bedford, High, Congress, and Franklin streets. 
Sparks, driven by the wind, flew through these streets with 
the thickness of a snow-squall, and large flakes of burning 
wood were carried by the wind down into the bay and 
over the south shore. Some of them fell on the light 
wooden structure of the Hartford and Erie depot, and 
set that on fire, and the flames of this communicating with 
the coal-sheds and offices on the harbor front, found ma- 
terial to feed their progress on the eastern side of Broad 
street. Before midnight, the great thoroughfares of trade 
before mentioned, hedged in by a wealth of unique archi- 
tecture, the broad show-windows ,<pf which were rich with 
the arrays of the products of the loom, had been swept 
by the fiery element. All had vanished from view, and 
one broad plane of ruin, dotted here and there by a crum- 
bling column or tottering wall, marked the spot of their 
former grandeur. Powerless to stem the torrent of flame 
which threatened to extend its devastating hand across 
Washington and State streets, and sweep away all the old 
historic piles of the ancient city, the firemen retreated. 
A huge mass of flame arose from the acres of burning build- 
ings, illuminating every tower and steeple, and reflecting 
itself upon the heavens, so that its lurid glare could be 
seen for a hundred miles. 

The alarm spread in every direction, and at midnight the 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 9 

Streets were filled with people of all classes and conditions, 
who hurried hither and thither, with bundles of goods 
snatched from the fire. They came from every direction ; 
great and excited crowds of humanity, whose interest in the 
terrible scene arose not from an idle or speculative curiosity, 
but the more potent considerations of personal interest. 
Merchants hurried to their safes, from which they removed 
their most valuable possessions ; clerks rushed to the stores 
of their employers, and carried away goods; truckmen and 
teamsters harnessed their horses, and galloped them to the 
scene of devastation, reaping a harvest from their old pa- 
trons, whose stocks they removed. 

And still the flames spread with ever-increasing intensity. 
Iron shutters were warped and melted ; granite columns 
crumbled and fell; while the great piles of cotton and 
woollen fabrics furnished fuel for the fire, which gleamed 
with a horrid glare, engulfing everything combustible in 
the general ruin. The entire block bounded by Summer, 
Otis, and Devonshire streets, and Winthrop square, was 
consumed, and the fire, leaping across Franklin street, and 
breaking through the rear walls of the great jobbing houses, 
attacked similar structures on Devonshire street, which fell 
a prey to the devouring element. The flames poured forth 
from the stores on both sides of Federal street, and meeting, 
converted that thoroughfare , jnto a solid mass of roaring 
fire. The long and substantial blocks ranged on either side 
of Congress, Pearl, High, and Purchase streets, were seized 
upon and consumed with the speed of a whirlwind. Revel- 
ling in its destruction, and creating a storm of smoke and 
ashes, in which no man could breathe, the fire made terrible 



lO THE BOSTON FIRE. 

way toward Washington and Milk streets, and strode onward 
toward the harbor. As the great torrent of flame spread 
over the doomed territory, a deep and sullen boom broke 
upon the midnight air. The entire blocks of buildings 
facing on both sides of Federal street, some sixty in number, 
were blown up in the vain hope of arresting the flames. 
A similar course was pursued with the buildings on Congress, 
between Milk and Water streets, in rear of the new post- 
office, which stately edifice stood like adamant in the path 
of the flames. The struggle to prevent the fire from crossing 
Washington street was severe. All the way from Summer 
down to Milk street, the firemen fought the enemy inch by 
inch, amid falling walls and intense heat. As the walls fell, 
burying several of the heroic men, their comrades retreated, 
but kept pouring streams of water incessantly upon the 
buildings on the west side of the street, thereby lessen- 
ing a calamity, the extent of which would have been ap- 
palling to think of. But the fire turned its face toward 
Milk street, threatening the Old South Church, upon the 
fate of which hinged the destiny of all that portion of the 
city between it and State street. The extinction of the 
flames on the south side of Milk street prevented the expan- 
sion of the disaster, while the new post-oflice building forced 
the flames to make a detour through Congress and Water 
streets. At daybreak on Sunday morning the fire was com- 
pletely encircled by a line of engines, manned by brave men, 
whose lives were constantly endangered, but who fought a 
gallant and winning fight at every point. The fire was then 
fully under control on its southern line, and extended only a 
few numbers from Summer street on Chauncy, Kingston, 



THE EObTON FIRE. II 

Lincoln, South, and Bedford streets, but on the harbor front 
it had swept everything before it, from the junction of Sum- 
mer and Federal streets nearly to Oliver street. Liberty 
square was in ruins, and before noon the fire had seized upon 
the old post-office and sub-treasury in Merchants' Exchange 
building, compelling a removal of the deposits to the Cus- 
tom-house, and mails to the ''Cradle of Liberty" — Faneuil 
Hall. At noon on Sunday the fire was under control at 
every point, and that night many of the steam fire engines 
from out of town were dismissed, and returned to their 
homes. But the weary firemen were destined to renewed 
exertions, from a source least to be expected, for about one 
o'clock on IMonday morning several explosions of gas occur- 
red in the Summer street sewer, setting fire to the extensive 
jewelry store at the corner of AVashington street. The fire 
spread with great rapidity, but through the heroic energy 
and greater skill of the firemen, the flames were soon 
conquered, not, hov/ever, till several stores had been des- 
troyed. Such, in general terms, was the memorable confla- 
gration of the 9th and loth of November, which swept over 
the wealthiest business portion of the city, destroying, in 
addition to the buildings devoted to trade. Trinity Church 
on Summer street, St. Stephen's Church on Purchase street, 
the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad Depot, six banks, a 
number of stereotype founderies, newspaper and printing offi- 
ces, including the "Transcript," "Pilot," "Saturday Even- 
ing Gazette, " " Waverley ^Magazine, ' ' the State printing estab- 
lishment. The small freighting schooner, Louisa Frazer, was 
burned at her wharf on Broad street. More of the shipping 
would have been destroyed but for the work of the steam 



12 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

tugs, which were vigorously used in towing them into the 
stream, out of reach of the flames. 

The injury to the business of Boston is far greater than the 
computations made upon the goods and buildings destroyed, 
and it cannot be given in dollars and cents. In the preced- 
ing paragraph the estates other than those devoted to the 
trades were specified, but in summing up the extent of the 
disaster to the business community, it is in order to refer 
more particularly to the stores and warehouses. The entire 
space occupied by the wholesale dry goods dealers, wool 
merchants, boot and shoe, and hide and leather dealers, and 
clothing houses was of that swept over. Not a wool house 
was left standing in the city. Every wholesale clothing 
house in Boston, with a single exception, and the wholesale 
boot and shoe houses, or all but one, Avere laid in ruins, and 
but three or four dry goods commission houses were left 
standing. The amount of foreign, domestic, fleece and 
pulled wool destroyed by the fire cannot fall short of 
8,000,000 pounds, while the entire stock remaining in the 
market consisted of foreign wool, and is less than 8,000 bales. 
The destruction of boots, shoes, and leather was quite as 
complete as that of wool, although the stock of leather goods 
in warehouses was much lighter than it would have been a 
month later, and the loss was, consequently, much less to 
the owners. 

{ In addition to the firemen who came with their engmes 
from the towns and cities immediately surrounding Boston, 
steamers came from Norwich and New Haven, Connecticut ; 
Portland and Biddeford, Maine ; Portsmouth and Manches- 
ter, New Hampshire ; Salem, Lynn, Newburyport, Law- 



THE BOSTON FIRE. • 1 3 

rence, Worcester, Fall River, Taunton, and New Bedford ; 
and offers of assistance were at once received from all 
quarters. 

During the progress of the fire, multitudes of people 
flocked to the scene, rendering it necessary to employ the 
entire force of the police to prevent the people from rushing 
into the burning district, and embarrassing the firemen in 
their operations. Even this proved insufficient, and the 
Mayor of the city having applied for military assistance to 
the Governor of the State, the following responded to the 
call : First Regiment of Infantry, First and Second Battalions 
of Infantry, Independent Cadets, First Battalion of Cavalry, 
while United States troops, from the forts in the harbor, and 
the Ninth Regiment M. V. M. subsequently reported for 
duty. A guard was maintained over the district for over two 
weeks. 

' So great was the interest felt in the fate of the city, that 
the people, instead of attending Divine service, thronged the 
streets immediately about the fire, and churches were deserted 
for miles around; and extra trains on the steam railroads 
brought thousands of people to the city. Thieves were 
plentiful enough in Boston at the outbreak, but as the tele- 
graph told the story of the conflagration in other large cities, 
the leeches upon the public body in human form hastened 
to the scene, with visions of immense plunder. Chief 
Savage had prepared for this most admirably. At the earliest 
moment he redistricted the city, and hundreds of " specials " 
were instructed in the duties devolving upon the police. 
One of the chief difficulties the police had to deal with was 
the free delivery of goods to the masses by the owners of the 



14 • THE BOSTON FIRE. 

Stores on fire. As it was, the amount collected and taken to 
the station-houses was found to aggregate ^80,000 in value, 
and during Saturday night and Sunday morning, four 
hundred and sixty persons were arrested. 

While the flames were yet in progress, a large body of 
citizens convened at the Mayor's office, in the City Hall, and 
cooperated with the City Government in such action as was 
necessary, in view of the great calamity. The emergency 
developed the best energies and sentiments of the com- 
munity. 

The immediate work was to relieve the distressed, to 
encourage the desponding, and take advanced steps toward 
rebuilding the district. Generous offers of aid poured in 
from all over the country, while large supplies of bread, 
meat, coffee, and soup were distributed to the firemen at 
their posts of labor. Chicago, which, eleven months before, 
to a day, had passed through the same trying ordeal, with 
a promptness and liberality beyond all praise, through the 
action of her Mayor and citizens, sent a committee to 
Boston with ^100,000. This action was heralded by the 
following messages : 

Mayor's Office, Chicago, 

November 10, 1872. 
To Ike Mayor of Boston : 

The citizens of Chicago tender their deepest sympathy and all the 

material aid in their power to your afflicted people in this hour of their 

misfortune. In what way can we help you most? I have called a 

public meeting for to-morrow, to consider ways and means of 

assistance. 

JOSEPPI MEDILL, 

JMoyor. 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



15 



Chicago, 

November 10, 1872. 
To the Hon. Wm. Cray : 

Our people desire to do everything possible for a city that came so 

nobly to our aid as Boston did. Tell me what we can do. We will share 

with you whatever we have left. 

WIRT DEXTER, 

Chairman Ex. Com., Chicago R. dr' AT. Society. 

The Boston City Council adopted resolutions expressive 
of its sympathy for the sufferers by the fire, and appointed 
a committee for the purpose of extending immediate aid 
to those needing assistance, and also tendered a vote of 
thanks to the firemen. 

In this connection it is proper to state, that although but 
few people were rendered houseless by the conflagration, yet 
at least twenty thousand shop girls and other persons were 
thrown out of employment. A relief bureau was established, 
and contributions of money and clothing, as well as offers of 
employment, were received. 

The most distressing feature of the calamity was the loss 
of life, the extent of which will probably never be satisfac- 
torily ascertained ; while hundreds were more or less injured 
by the falling of walls, beneath which all of thirty people 
were killed. The following are the names of persons known 
or believed to be buried in the ruins : Franklin Olmstead, of 
Cambridge, killed ; Wm. S. Frazier, of Cambridge Port, 
killed ; Walter S. Twombly, of Maplewood, killed ; Lewis 
C. Thompson, of Worcester, killed ; Geo. W. Hunkins, of 
Amesbury, missing ; Michael Fitzgerald, of East Boston, 
missing; William Fitzgerald, of Soutli Boston, killed; 
Martin Gallagher, city laborer, killed; John Dillon, of 



1 6 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

South Boston, killed ; John Connolly, of West Roxbury, 
killed ; Geo. W. Tuck, of Haverhill, missing ; Henry 
Weston, of Utica, New York, missing; Henry Rogers, of 
Boston, killed ; Daniel Cochrane, of Boston, killed ; Captain 
William Farry, of Boston, killed ; George N. PuUen, of 
Boston, missing ; Mrs. Coleman and two children, of Bos- 
ton, killed; James Crawford, of East Milton, missing; 
Robert Williams, of Boston, missing ; Frank McKee, of 
Boston, killed ; John Hughes, of Milford, missing; Andrew 
Thacherty, John H. Chase, Geo. Bach, Edwin Beal, and 
Michael Cuddy — all missing. 

[Doubtless there are others than those named who are of 
the killed and missing and, further, that nearly all here 
classified as missing, will be eventually believed among the 
killed.— Ed.] 

The calamity swept out of existence millions of property, 
impoverished hundreds of business men, and broke all but 
two of the local insurance companies of the city. But the 
merchants of Boston have still left to them their fortitude, 
energy, and business capacity, which speedily manifested 
itself in their determination to rise above the depressing 
influences of the occasion, and applied themselves at once to 
the work of reconstruction. Before the fire had ceased 
burning, and while everything was unsettled, a large number 
of merchants secured new quarters, and resumed business on 
Monday morning. Others commenced the erection of 
temporary buildings, some on the ruins of their warehouses, 
and on the site of Fort hill. Washington square, in this 
locality, was soon covered with buildings of corrugated iron, 



THE BOSION FIRE. 17 

and occupied by boot, shoe, leather, and iron dealers. The 
dispersion of trade carried the various branches of business 
into strange localities. The dining-rooms of hotels were 
transformed into dry goods stores and tailoring establish- 
ments. West India goods, and" cases of boots and shoes, 
encumbered the same sidewalks. One large boot and shoe 
house went north, to Canal street ; a lace and embroidery 
dealer moved south, to Dover street ; and every vacant store 
within a circuit of a mile was let at a large advance upon 
the regular rentals, with enormous bonuses as primary con- 
siderations. 

During the three weeks succeeding the fire, the ruins were 
visited by tens of thousands of people daily, who gazed at the 
sad reality, and contemplated the situation, while all around 
them the busy gangs of men laid low the dangerous walls, 
worked upon the safes, or sought the remains of friends. 



THE FOLLOWING 



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WERE TAKEN FROM 



The Assessors' Books of 1872. 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



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THE BOSTON FIRE. 



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On q_ 0^ q, o^ 
\o rT 10 i-T rf 



•<^ q^ q^ r>. ^00^ 



>o o : : : : : o o 

00 a* . . . . 00 "^ 

4 : : : : : « 

cT ro : : . I . xn d" 

vo : ; : ; : ■<*• 

«r 1-^ : ^ : '. '.do 



Sir. 
3 



^00 i 






^ ^ >.s;q 



o 
^ c 

1) rt 






fciO 



Wf,^» 



'SI 



OJ c -^ 



u 



<U ri 






ill 



c 
o 

=^ 






t/3 



h^c^ U ^" W A^Sd <■ c/3 J^ ;^ c^ P^; H Ph* Q ^-:.^ H H h^O h^ 



30 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



^1 



O bo 

>'3 






^rS^ 



'H.9 -H n ^ 
1- 2 oj t— ^ . 



Eh 

m 

H 
P^ 

n 

W 

o 
l> 

H 
P 



Q O Q O 
O Q O O 
O O ^ O 



O O 



oj 






O 

1 . o 



O C 



o 



c<i <u 



w K d ;s s p p^ ;^ w > « 






o *^ 

^ . \ 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



31 






00 . g Tj- . 10 1-1 

vO ro • O 00 • t>. 







is: 


1 


; ^ 


CO 



r- 

^ c/21 



o 
U 



O 

U 



^8 



3 :s 



o 

-^ 

>^ O 



b 3 






^ia-?."^ 



-: r'R fc/3 ^ 

b o ^ ^■'•'^ ^ >^^ t^ -^ "^ =^ :^ ..^ S 



o 
U 



cy S2 



TJoh-i '-' rt 






<u 



H^ 5 il,< [I,K <i :^ :^ K II <i ^ K S 6 ^ ffi w w ci ^ h4 ^ 






1) <u 



C C' 






fi^:^ 



32 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



q_ o 



o 
U o 



O 

U 



aj oj 1) rt oj 



J^ 



C 

o 
45 o 






•■::; .id ^ a> >- 

111 Ph >- h m 



Eh 
H 

Eh 

m 

p 



o o 








vo - 






M 


n 








m ro 






*~^ : 


Th 








00 « 








o 
























c^ P< 






N . 


t^ 


: 








-• . : : i-> : : p< 



o 



g 



^§^ ^^ i § 8 - • 















O ^ 

ii to 

Kg 
. o 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



33 



i^ o^ fo ■^ cT u^ 

« ro ►-'CO 



:88 



fo 


• N 


o o 


tN. 


: c^ 


N -^ 


ro 


: ^ 


t^ 








t^ 


. -^ 


« m 






E^: 



00 • "^ 

00 . M 



O 4> 

up 



o 
O J2 



O rt 



": It? =y « ^ 

O o OJ fl 



IS 



J =a ^ =y c^ 



"iJ ,'J H 



n s ?. 



P4 8 



— »-" 4> S fl „ 

^•o 53 oj t/j ^ ^ I-. 

=<3 u fl Jii t3 ^3 5 

« • 2 ? "o "oj i; 



o 
U 

U fi o 



>'cy 



n3 ^ .:2 v :s 



o 

9 W rt 

I— I 



S^ 






I 



<i pq Q hA Aw c^ S O Q 



34 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 






88 

O CN 



-8 





8 : 


_ 






ON • 


o 


o <^ 






N 






f^ : 


vo 






fo : 


vO 






M . 




u->0 
























vo" . 


^ 






■>*^ • 


rn 


ci ^f 





U-TI 



o 
U o 









^ a <i> 

t/) rt 









;i a; 



i^W 



^f^ rt-^ 



:^J^aio^^«"-^/ 






tpTi 

■ c/i Pi^' J ( 



c-oc^ 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



35 



88 



CO VO 





o 


o 


"<t 








CO • 


o • 


ro 






CO 


x->. 


^ 








cn : 




N 








"^ 








■^ . 


CO • 


VO 




























"^ 


•^ 


ro 








f^ . 


ro . 


VO 





_^ o 






cy 



"- rt . 

t^ K 2 



- o 



S.q 



cj — 






'^ o w 



o 
U 

c 



cpq 



• .2 '3 "^ ' ^ g t^ ^ . ^ :^ -rt . S J3 ►>: 1 1; ; 



c^ 



— . x) 

w o 



o 

Ph 
CJ - 

U t—l 

'3 ^ 

, o 
pqp< 



36 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



o -^ 

rToo" 






o bo 

3 13 



00 • O 

fo : oo 





o • 


• ir> 






Tf 






00 : 


: On 






ro 






o : 


■ M 






N 




















»o : 


• "^ 






o\ 





N vrj 


^ 


M »H 


OnvO 


VO 


VO hH 


ro N 


N 


H-l M 








d^i-. 


" 


M l-« 



q, q, o^ 

ro ro fO 



o 



q_ o^ o^ 

T? ro ^ 



(u a - 

fe- >- o 



.3 



>-' ^1 o 



ca-g^-^cy 






>.-d 



"^ • ' 'H • > o "^ : ^ '-' : Sr". " " ;2 



C3 lU <u 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



37 



II 



o o 

N i-i 



GO VO 

CO 



. . Th • 


vo • 


o • 


::"->: 


hH 




N . 












. • N . 


fO ■ 


r^ • 







t-l 


r~>. • 




00 : 


O . 


o ; 






c^ . 






0^ •■. 








t^ . 










^r°.i 



o 
2^Q 



c^ 



ilp3 

JS O <U O • S . . • 

H 1-1 Ph « < W PtH c/2 < 



Eh 

o 
o 

ft 
P4 






Eh 

P^ 
Eh 



P^ 



9. 9, 



8 8 



8 ■ 


8 ; 


8 ; 


t^ . 


00 . 










fO . 


vo : 


vo . 



^ • 


N • 


CO 






^< : 






7 "• 


0^ : 


4 






Hi 


N 






38 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 




R8 ;888 

O O '■ ^^ dec 
vooo • vO VO rO 



R : 


8 ■ 


8 ' 


8 • : 


to 






C/O 


t^ ■ 


M 




rt- 




















to . 


vo" . 


t^ : 


a; : : 


fO 







^ • 


' 00 • 


N 


• o 


00 • 


<o • • 


fo : 


: <T> : 


'"4- 


. "JTi 


^ : 


^ : * 


A : 


:^ : 


(J) 


^ii 


■^ • 


^ . 


■ .^ '• 


: ro : 


^ 


»o : 


vo : 



6\S 

>< O rt 
o o > 



Ol 



t/) 


^ 








o 


H 


c 






O 






rt 


W^ 



Ol 

ca <^ ^ 



^ o=^^ 



c 


.•t: 


t^ 


^. 


< 


en 


_r 




c^ 


<u 


OJ 


c)^ 



. o 

icy 6 

Oh . 

•- O 

(U ■— 



o 



o o 



.^ 1^ tJi !>■ P^ fit 



"z; -^ ^ -TJ «j 
rt ,2i <u rt ^^ 

. rt O . rt 






ffitt 



ri -I 

U o "^ 

-=« § 

- p a; 52 

(U .s- o rt 

S c/5 (^ >-" 

►^ !£; • "^ 

1^ V- ^- 4J 

• ==■ i 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



39 



■ ^^ 


8 8 


: ^ 00 


o o 






: vo T? 


C» O 


: o « 


« Tl- , 





o • 


On • 


8?o 


N • 


N • 


o • 


o 


v8 : 


o 




t-- : 




fo : 


(■o : 


00 : 


f) 






m . 


Tf . 


Tj- '^ 


o : 


o : 


t^ 




Cs . 


o 
























«^ • 


"^ 


roco 


vo : 


vo I 


ro . 


fO 


lO . 


ro 



. r<^ U-) 1J-) ON 

: r<-) ro CO ro 

• l-r t^ 

: ro CO 



-T^U 



>, 

o-.^ 















^ r^ H =y 1?1 



(U o -^ 



o 
U 



C 1) 






ca T^ •- o r; c^ -^ 



bey o* 






O rt ^ 



^S-apq S.S^W^ §3^ >.'2 ^^ o.S 



40 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



O bo 

3-0 






000 

882 

o o cf^ 

rn C^i "^ 
«9t 



00 O "^ f< 
vO "^ t^ 



o 



U 



^ • rS c^ U 

? -tr; £ r/^ • "^ rt £ 'p rt [i^ 



vO 00 TtOO 
t^ M vO 00 

00 00 00 00 



c^ N N ro 



Ti- Tj- rf Lo 



Eh 






-a 

fcjO 

O 



000 
000 

N N N 






DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



41 



rT T? vo 



888 







s - 








• « * 








00 . 






"^ . 


: 10 : 
























w . 






CO . 


: ^ : 





o o 
c>5 V 



c .„ 






.BPi^ti ^ 



c^ ' 






^ 






L) S W O ^ h-^C^ U c/5 ^* h-^h^d ^ 








8 8 8 


? 


^8 






b 










fO t^ m 


(xToo 




t^ l-l 


CO 


• =6*9. 


N • ro • w • • 


tJ- • rj : ir^ 






J^ . ^ . 












fi ; cs . "^f 








o 



TJ C 



S -O 






:550 



o ,« 






42 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 






o o o 

rC o' d 



O O 

88 





Tj- 








i^ 






CO • 


m • 


















o : 


^ : 




Gn 








m 






■^ . 


o . 
























r< 








^ 






ro . 


"^ r 



4,_C 



o 

u 



C fi 



r-> "'J ci c c : 
^ t/, -p o o . 












^^S5i^l>^^^ 






o 



C - 
- O C! 

c t; o 






^_^ 






DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



43 



LOCiO t-^oo 



O O 

o" o 



o o 
o o 
o o 



8888 

O^ O, ""i ^ 



o^ o^ o^ 



00 : ON 





lO • 


n 


M 








N 








N 










fo : 


rj- 


'^ 








o\ 








C\ 










N . 


CO 


00 








n 








o 








































^ : 


^ 


n 








VO 








VO 









O OO »>>. 

0\ a^oo 



Q Q O 

o 5 o 
q. o^ o^ 



8 








8 


• 8 


§ 








8 








8 












































Cn 








ro 


. VO 


c» 








VO 








VO 
















VO 


: VO 


fO 








VO 








VO 









9. o_ q_ 
o' m" n" 



a\ 


m\o 


N 








o 








00 








ON 


r 

o 


CO 








I 

















o 
U o 

s s 



o P 



^ -5 c>! .« ^ 



•s -S u "-^ -^ 






o 

^^ =^' c^ '^ ^ ^ 






B CQ S vi i-^-:,[fi mSWifiiJujWO f^in fe IS < u « S K ►-:.& O W fe 



44 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



fe'S 









rh ro 








r^ 






lo 


00 




. 




o • 








t^ t-^ 








oo 






M 






• • 




r^ : 








O ro 








o 






NO 


M 




, 












































t-l HH 








" 








ro 




; ; 




^ I 


















O Th 




. 


CO 






lo 


fO 










• \n • 








^u. 




. 


ut 








1 










• "^ • 








N 














!->. 


















to 




; 























<u 



0) 



S ^ O 0) 






ta : o 

c 



-da 



ffi;3 






^ 






3 . „• 












DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



45 



o ^ o o^ 



O O O Q I 
O O Q Q ' 

q_ q, o^ q, ' 
lio rT r- "^ I 



88 



• 00 Th 







N 








On • 








o • 


lo 
















^ : 

CO . 








°o : 


00 








«i 








N • 








N . 


■^ 








cy 



o <u 



r 1 O 



o 

u 



<^ J 



u 






o 
U 6 

0>J 



O 

u 



0^ 



hJ c/3 K 2 _^^^-f^ g ^ :/< ,^ S ^ s . 1 :5 "^ -5 



J W h; hA^ < K K t-^O K 



3 (U S 



46 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



88 



O O^ 





yr, 












"^ 










. 




^ 












On 










; 






























m 












fi 













O bt) 
3t3 









T3 
O 
O ^, 



B 3c>J 3^ 



^ Ji -o' &.9 



O O .. ^ O 'U 



o 
U 

WW 






DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



47 



q_ O^ o^ ^^ o^ vq^ o^ >^ o^ o o 






O O 00 N 

CJNVO vO m 



xo Onoo r^ 



Eh 
W 



^ 





.cf 
1=^ 




4 


.1 

; c 

3 f 


3 
J 

r 

: 1. 












Ci >,^ U 



8= u^3 2== 



=a 






(/l 



o o 



c 

o ^ 



o 
o u 
U 



5w 



2 



48 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



o N o 



888 

ci o" o" 



88 

O ON 






O : O O ^^ 






















00 : 



m On m 
00 OO 0\ 

00 



o 

u 



^ 



>- o <u 



■Cey 



oU 



ca 






|^^"-||"i|l|sr:ro 






M ii 
c 2 



c 
o 

II 



O 

U 

o 2 
UO 

cy £ 

|i 

!^% 
, o 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



49 



o o o 
o o o 

lOOO o" 



o o o o o o 

o o o o o o 
q^ o^ o^ ^ ("o o^ 

o" Lo cT w" >-<" 



88 

o o 



88 

o o 



o : GO 
oo . i>- 











oo o 






o o 












>-^ C) 






O m 












H- Cn 






•1 t-^ 






























w •"" 






N N 





oo" o" 



8 8 



o o 

88 



o 2 

88 



u 









tn-. 



rt o 



W^ W ^ ^ _; 

r3^ 



o 
U 






o ;=: 
p, teg 






^<0 



50 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



O o 



O U) 






O 




•3 e 






S8 



t/3 



H^O S U O S < P!^ 



—3 cj 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



Eh 
W 

P3 

Eh 
OQ 

CQ 

w 

Eh 
Eh 
<\ 



VO vo 

ON -I 
ri- XJ-t 



vo O 



O 



W 
o 
M 
W 

OQ 
Eh 

W 
O 



Eh 

p^ 

Eh 
.J 



O O 

o o 



d'oo'vo" 



q_ q^ o^ o^ 

^o ro cT CO 



s 






uffi 



o 
U 

o lu 
l| 

d 



o o 
ti s =^ '^ 



60 

■p ^ sj D 



;^ J^ <L> ^ c>J 









52 



THE BOSION FIRE. 






o o 

° S 



o q, 
i-Too' 



o o 
o o 

O CO 



o o^ 



o o 
o" 6 



l/^ • 


o : 


o • • 


M *. 






. CO . 


m ■ 


Cl 




""" 


M . . 



O M 
<U.S 



O 

o u 
^^ 



DO 



^ 



<•: 



t/3PLH 



3 .^ 5 fcj: :^ 



-J £-3=^ 



r^ -^ .^ CO 
'f.> '^ .. A 



-^r- 



fc/3. 






Uco 



^6 



o 

u 

(L) _j::; 

HE 



o '^ 

^ ^ o 
^ t/.U 






> 



^-.Q 



DETAILS OF LOSSES 



53 



o o 

8 8 



O O O O O 

o o o o o 

o^ o„ ^ o, o^ 

cf vo" cf oT o" 



o o o 
o o o 
o o o 



o o 
o o 
o o 



88 

o o 



o o 

88 











: 












CO 






o • 

N : 


ri ^ : 


loco • 

a\ "-I : 






ro 








M 








o 






M '• 


M CO • 


ro rn 







8 










§ : 






8 






§ i 


§§ i 


8§ 
























n 






'^ • 


T? c^ . 


o o 








O 










W ; 






LO 






. " 


I-H t-l 











8 








8 








8 

o 






§ i 


§§ : 


§§ 
















o 








d 






N : 


f 1 CO . 


ri N 








LO 














CO 






ro : 


ro ro : 







o o 



c3 



^ '* '-^ S 



^6 



3.0 



O Ji 






n - .= .9 U ^ 5 



^ rt C P 



o 






^ t/2 O ri 

S s "" Q 



_o O 






c/: 



'o> 






o 
CO H I 







^ 


■r; 


T3 


p 


o 

G 


t^ 


^ 


^ 


Ph 


^ 


ii 


(— 1 


r^ 


x2 




c 
o 


< 



O S p!H H O hAi-^-< 



^^ 



54 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 






o o 

o o 



o o 

O X-- 



o • 


o 






U-) 




o 


ro 




LO . 


N 











Tt- 


• oo 00 N • 


. vo . 


• 00 


t~^ 


: t^i>»co : 


. CO : 


: 00 


N 


:^^^ : 


• "^ • 




t^ 


: t^x-noo : 


: 00 : 





■^uA 



o - 



S o 



ti 3 



o 
1^ t/3 rt ^ 



O T. 









(1) 1^ ._ 1-^ . . . 



os-p 









O 13 



CI «t C) O 

S gCJu 
15 Sc>5cy 



o "^ S 






HH rt >- rt 



1) . o 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



55 



88888 

q_ q_ q, q_ o_ 
o o" lo d" ijo 



M 



M 



q_ o^o^ o^ o^ q_ 

^ r~n O^ O »-o C 



c 



o c 






o 

^ U <:<5 ^ ^ rt c 

- ^ c H o k; > ^^ ,r 



a^^ 
.>.^'-^ 



3 o 

C 



:§::;: 


§ 


§ 












§ 






§ 






. (S . . . . 


ro 


»J^ 












N 






C) 




























•^ 










^J^^ 



^>^ ^^o-c^ ^'^'^'.•j-S^ 















: §1 








: d 












• • • =6^ 




ss^ ■■. 




ON ON ro • 








m . 












8 8 8: 








ro ro O • 




=09= rO ■ 


H 






O 




< 


8 88 ; 

4 ^4^ o" : 


a 


^ 


^ vo : 


o 






tH 


tJ- VT) 1- ; 


k1 




»-l 




g 


































■^ • <= 




.2 - : o 




c: " : cAi 








a 'g^c^ 






rt -Sii 




r ^1 






S -fife 




> ^ . 




^=P<^ 




»— 


■» 


1-4 c^ I 



56 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



o o 

=60: 



000 
000 
LO O >-0 

CO cf 



o 
o 

(^ 

o 



<u 
'fci) o 

t/3U 



rt o 



o o 

08 






O O • O 

ij^ m : o 

MD CX3 . O 





8 












• 




^ 






8 8 


§ 


















vO 


VO 






vo c^ 


C^ 



C\ iJ^ • r^ 



o c ^ 



S ^ o 






: -^ 



g '^ ffi J "^ s "^ I ^1 

;^ c/i Q ^' Iz; H H ^* fx; H <i H^: 



1^ 



CO ro M >-< 
rO hT kT rf 



0000 
0000 
O^ O^ O^ O^ 






!^ ? O O G 

^ ^ ^ g K^- 



DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



57 



o o o o o 

O^ O^ O^ Lo O^ 
xriio (5" rf ^^ 



88 

o o 
6 d 

ro O 



o o o o o 

o o o o o 

N o_ q^ q^ o^ 

'o6 ^ d d d 

00 VO M LO 



vO o 
O t~^ 
O '- 



R; 8 



o o 



« 4 ^ t^ 






E g r 

' ?- ^ rt 

W E W < U OQ c^ [^ ^ 



o J C 



o := 






si 



o 



K o c rt u c :d 
-P fe -c ^ >.^^ 



fec^i 



aj oj >^ 



V ■ 



c ^ ^ 
.- rt rt (y X . O 



O 

U 

c>J c O 

1-5 8 



Eh 



' ^ 


O 


.i3 


U 


u 




,£3 


c>S 






M-I ^ 


ishin 
owe! 
Cor 


u^id' 


• aj 


P^^ 


. o 



h^HP^ 



cS 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



o o 
o o 
o o 



o o o o 
o o o o 
o^ q. q_ q. 



ro 



o o o 

o o o 

r-^ o^ q_ 

Cf\ Tf iO 



o o 

88 



o o o 

o o o 




o • 


CN • 


vo 








O • • 


o 
















Tf : 


MD : 


ro 








f^ . : 


c^ 
















o . 


^ : 


o 








»o . . 


vo 














































^ • 


C) . 


to 








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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



59 



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THE BOSTON FIRE. 



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6i 



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62 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



o o 
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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



63 



0000000 
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000 "-000 t^OOOOO -LoOOOO 



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64 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



65 



§ 


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66 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



67 



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68 



THE BOSTON FIRE 



i-H w Cn On u-) ri" 

00 o Lo Tf a^oo 



c^r fO ro f-S ro ro 



O O O O O O 
O O O O O O 

Lo Lo Lo q_ O^ o^ 

ro ro ■^ ^vO vO 



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61 



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69 



O M O CN^roro^oN N 
1000 00>-'^*"-<^MCO 
Ttoq^co^ ^ ^^ ^ Q. "^ ^l '^ 
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t— »C/2 



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70 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



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o o 



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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



71 



888 



o 

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000 
000 
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72 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



o e 
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88 






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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



73 



O O Q O 

^888 

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O O O 

888 



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74 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



888 

o^ o^ q_ 





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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



75 



I 



888 

o o o 



to O 00 
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76 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



o o 

88 



o o 
o o 
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o o o o 
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00 00 r^v£5 . N C^ n vo 



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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



77 



vO r^ t^ 



88 

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78 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



8 


8 


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88 


88 


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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



79 




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fee : ' o 'U^^ Joii 



888888 

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75 S 



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8o 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



o o o 
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8 8 


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DETAILS OF LOSSES. 



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RECAPITULATION. 



Streets. 



Value 
of Land. 



Value 
of Buildings. 



Personal. 



Square Feet 
of Land. 



Arch 

Bath 

Broad 

Bussey Place 

Charming 

Columbia 

Congress 

Devonshire 

Federal 

Federal Court 

Franklin 

Gridley 

Hawes 

Hawley 

High.... 

Kilby 

Leather Square 

Lincoln 

Lindall 

Matthew 

Merchants' Exchange 

Milk 

Milton Place 

Morton Place 

Oliver 

Otis 

Pearl 

Pearl Place 

Purchase 

South 

Sturgis 

Sullivan Place 

Summer 

Washington 

Water 

Winthrop Square 

Total 



^136,000 

5 1 >ooo 

1 ,040,000 

30^500 

32,000 

' 100,000 

2,086,000 

1 ,05 1 ,000 

2,402,000 

30,000 

2,222,000 

17,000 

5,000 

1 74,000 

1,389,500 

554,000 

10,000 

37,000 

154,000 

36,500 

450,000 

1,991,000 

69,000 

64,000 

126,000 

339,000 

2,466,000 

66,700 

427,000 

177,000 

8,000 

10,000 

3,616,000 

1,930,000 

725,000 

343.000 



$78,000 

19,000 

116,000 

20,500 

11,000 

24,500 

1,230,000 

575,000 

1,356,000 

3,000 

1,401,000 

9,000 

500 

73,000 

1,021,000 

195.500 

4,000 

45,000 

68,000 

46,500 

100,000 

910,000 

36,000 

45,000 

87,000 

216,000 

1,531,000 

41,800 

153,000 

33,000 

4,000 

4,000 

2,023,000 

766,000 

242,000 

255,000 



$191,800 

15.300 

295,000 

5,000 

10,000 



3,009,900 
2,561,800 
3.367.300 

5,841,600 



54,000 
3,326,100 
1,243,400 



8,500 
53.500 
40,000 

2,944,600 

10,000 

14.900 

1 50,000 

1,056,500 

7,251,800 

2,000 

71,000 



4,042,700 

1,794,100 

1 70,400 

922,600 



$24,365,200 



$12,745,300 



$38,453,800 



RECAPITULATION. 

There were 1,999,525 feet of land burned over. 1*. 
value of this land was $24,365,200. The assessed valuation 
of the buildings burnt was $12,745,300; the assessors esti- 
mated they were assessed within ten per cent, of their 
valuation; adding this, would make their real valuation 
$14,019,830. The personal property was assessed at 
$38,453,800. This was supposed by the assessors to rep- 
resent two thirds of its valuation. Adding one third, 
would make $51,271,700. The estimated value of con- 
signed goods destroyed was $10,000,000, making the total 
loss by the fire about $75,291,530 ; 552 separate estates and 
999 firms were burned out. The valuation of Boston was 
$682,724,300, hence the loss was about a tenth part of the 
whole. The increase the last year was $70,060,750, hence 
the loss was about the same as the annual increase. 



INSURANCE LOSSES. 



A belief in the indestructibility of Boston's granite 
warehouses; a feeling of pride and confidence in her fire 
department, which had never before been defeated; and 
the peculiar character of the mutual system upon which 
most of her buildings were insured, only allowing three- 
fourths of the value to be covered, — all tended to prevent 
a proper amount of insurance; and as so large a propor- 
tion of that which existed was in Boston offices, the loss 
fell with accumulated force upon her own citizens. 

The annihilation of capital invested in insurance stocks, 
and the assessments required by the mutual companies, must 
be added to the loss on buildings, stocks, rents, and inter- 
ruption to business, in obtaining an accurate estimate of 
the disaster. 

We are indebted to Mr. Charles H. Frothingham, 
1 6 Devonshire street, Boston, for the following statistics of 
the insurance losses ; and every exertion has been made to 
have the list as accurate as possible at the time of going 
to press. 



86 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN BOSTON. 



Companies. Capital. 

American, Boston $3oo,cxx) 

Bay State, Worcester 200,000 

Boston, Boston 300,000 

Boylston, Boston 300,000 

City, Boston 200,000 

Eliot, Boston 300,000 

Exchange, Boston 200,000 

Faneuil Hall, Boston 200,000 

Firemen's, Boston 300,000 

First National, Worcester 100,000 

Franklin, Boston 300,000 

Gloucester, Gloucester. 100,000 

Howard, Boston 200,000 

Lawrence, Boston 250,000 

Manufacturers', Boston 400,000 

Mercantile ]Marine 300,000 

Merchants', Boston 500,000 

Mutual Benefit, Boston 200,000 

National, Boston 300,000 

Neptune, Boston 300,000 

North American, Boston 200,000 

People's, Worcester 400,000 

Prescott, Boston 200,000 

Shoe and Leather, Boston 200,000 

Springfield, Springfield 500,000 

Suffolk, Boston 150,000 

Traders and Mechanics', Lowell 100,000 

Tremont, Boston 200,000 

Washington, Boston 300,000 





Losses 


Will 


Assets. 


in Boston. 


pay. 


$946,030 


$456,117 


All. 


325,000 


280,000 


50 p. c. 


600,000 


1,320,000 


40 " 


912,000 


1,800,000 


56 " 


375,561 


800,000 


40 " 


684,817 


1,700,000 


35 " 


265,617 


775,000 


40 " 


250,000 


600,000 


35 " 


1,000,000 


2,800,000 


30 " 


175,000 


50,000 


All. 


731,486 


2,000,000 


25 p. c 


117,852 


27,000 


All. 


385,000 


1,000,000 


25 p. c 


299,940 


500,000 


35 " 


1,500,000 


1,700,000 


90 " 


550,000 


133,000 


All. 


1,034,004 


2,844,354 


30 p. c 


281,603 - 


995,000 


35 " 


896,681 


950,000 


40 " 


896,633 


2,200,000 


40 " 


651,488 


1,200,000 


50 " 


800,293 


650,000 


60 " 


508,189 


700,000 


50 " 


593,754 


I, goo, 000 


30 " 


1,055,106 


250,000 


All. 


275,717 


645,000 


35 P- c 


208,847 




All. 


267,000 


750,000 


34 P-C 


1,070,743 


1,096,700 


75 " 



MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL COMPANIES. 

Central, Worcester ^ $31,850 $10,000 

Dorchester, Boston 159,000 134,130 

Essex, Salem 90,000 22,500 

Holyoke, Salem 338,496 220,650 

India Mutual, Boston, 697,184 380,000 

Massachusetts, Boston 750,000 1,200,000 

Mechanics', Boston 2,000,000 1,331,401 

^lerchants' and Farmers', Worcester 850,000 300,000 

Naumkeag, Salem 3,^73 2,800 

New England, Boston 513,000 200,000 

Quincy, Quincy 480,000 432,500 

Salem 100,000 59,000 

Union, Boston 900,000 1,200,000 

Cambridge 132,500 25,250 



All. 



90 p. c. 

All. 



75 P- c. 
All. 



INSURANCE LOSSES. 



87 



COMPANIES OF OTHER STATES DOING 
BOSTON. 

Companies, CapitaC. Assets. 

Adriatic, New York $200,000 1216,250 

Allemania, Cleveland 250,000 304,027 

Alps, Erie 250,000 340,687 

Amazon, Cincinnati 500,000 850,000 

American Central, St. Louis 275,000 365,161 

American Exchange, New York 200,000 225,491 

American, New !^ork 400,000 1,000,500 

American, Philadelphia 400,000 i,i33,593 

Arctic, New York 250,000 349,877 

Atlantic, Brooklyn 200,000 200,000 

Atlantic, Providence 

iEtna, Hartford 3,000,000 6,400,502 

jEtna, New York 200,000 202,493 

Bangor, Bangor 300,000 

Black River, Watertown 250,000 250,000 

Brewers', Milwaukee 200,000 377,9i8 

Brewers and Maltsters', New York. . 350,000 260,796 

Capital, New York 200,000 125,000 

Capital City, Albany 150,000 177,142 

Citizens, New York 300,000 780,793 

City, New York 210,000 500,523 

City, Providence 100,000 172.150 

Clinton, New York 250,000 44^,339 

Columbia, New York 300,000 467, 198 

Commerce, Albany 200,000 420,203 

Commerce, New York 200,000 253, 146 

Commercial, New York 200,000 335,982 

Connecticut, Hartford 500,000 500,363 

Continental, New York 1,000,000 2,509,526 

Com Exchange, New York 200,000 309,936 

Delaware Mutual Safety, Philadel... 360,000 202,255 

Eastern, Bangor 225,000 335,ooo 

Empire City, New York 200,000 280,000 

Equitable, New York 210,000 460,000 

Equitable, Providence 200,000 430,000 

Exchange, New York 150,000 282,221 

Fame, Philadelphia 200,000 217,614 

Fairfield County, Connecticut 200,000 275,000 

Farmers, New York 100,000 189,219 

Farragut, New York 189,219 

Firemen's, New York 204.000 340,6i6 

Firemen's Fund, San Francisco 500,000 856,788 

Firemen's Trast, New York 150,000 242,255 

Franklin, Philadelphia 400,000 3,255,749 

Gebhard, New York 200,000 250,667 

Germania, New York 500,000 1,033,602 



BUSINESS IN 



Losses 
in Boston. 


Will 
pay. 


$7,500 


All. 


5,000 


" 


34,000 




20,000 


" 


15,000 


K 


10,000 


" 


75,000 


(I 


500,000 


" 


100,000 




25,500 
24,000 




1,300,000 


" 


40,000 




50,000 


" 


85,000 


" 


55,500 

75,000 

2,000 


" 


24,000 


" 


250,000 
90,000 




10,000 


" 


95,000 


tl 


104,000 


" 


50.000 


" 


62,000 


U 


100,000 


" 


100,000 


" 


460,000 


" 


140,000 




375,000 


" 


180,000 


u 


10,000 


" 


20,000 


" 


314,800 
15,000 


" 


20,600 


" 


70,000 


" 


5,000 


" 


20,000 


" 


122,000 


t( 


70,000 


" 


5,000 




420,000 


" 


22,500 




400,000 





S8 



THE BOSTON FIRE. 



Companies. Capital. 

Globe, New York $200,000 

German, Erie 200,000 

German American, New York 1,000,000 

Girard, Philadelphia 300,000 

Glens Falls, New York 200,000 

Greenwich, New York 

Guardian, New York 200,000 

Hanover, New York 400 000 

Hartford, Connecticut 1,000,000 

Hoffman, New York 200,000 

Home, New York 2,500,000 

Home, Columbus 500,000 

Hope, New York 150,000 

Humboldt 2oo,oco 

Ins. Co. N. A., Philadelphia 500,000 

Ins. Co. St. Penn., Philadelphia 200,000 

Irving, New York 200,000 

International, New York. 500,000 

Importers and Traders', New York. . 200,000 

Jefferson, New York 200,000 

King's County, New York 150,000 

Lafaj'ette, New York 150,000 

Lamar, New York 200,000 

Lenox, New York 100,000 

Lorillard, New York 300,000 

Lycoming, Muncy, Pa 

Manhattan, New York 250,000 

Market, New York 200,000 

Mechanics and Traders', New York. 200,000 

Mercantile, New York 200,000 

Meriden, Conn 200,000 

Merchants', Providence 200,000 

Montauk, New York 150,000 

Merchants', New York 200,000 

Narragansett, Providence 500,000 

National, Bangor 200,000 

National, Philadelphia 200,000 

National, Hartford 500,000 

National, New York 200,000 

New Hampshire, Manchester 100,000 

New York and Yonkers 200,000 

Niagara, New York 1,000,000 

Orient, Connecticut 500,000 

Pacific, New York 200,000 

Penn, Philadelphia 152,600 

Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 400,000 

Penn. Underwriters', Philadelphia... 200,000 

Phenix, Brooklyn 1,000,000 

Phoenix, Connecticut 600,000 

Relief, New York 200,000 



Assets. 


^ Losses 
in Boston. 


Will 

pay. 


$327,748 


$15,000 


All. 


237,083 


50,000 


" 


1,000,000 


109,000 


(i 


571,423 


50,000 


" 


577,312 


50,000 
20,000 


t( 


266,15s 


50,000 


u 


950,000 


225,000 


it 


2,942,061 


522,000 


" 


299.741 


100,000 


" 


4,672,044 


100,000 


(( 


871,453 


40,000 


" 


203,101 


50,000 


" 


304,090 
3,212,176 


230,000 
900,000 


60 p. c. 
All. 


447,934 


75,000 


" 


250.000 


105,500 


" 


1,065.113 
295,850 


417,000 
32,000 


75 p. c. 
All. 


415,919 


10,000 


" 


249,758 
211,789 


5,000 
5,000 


(I 


252,000 


104,000 


" 


200,000 


18,000 


" 


300,000 


92,000 


" 




10,000 




260,000 


54,000 


(( 


200,000 


100,000 


" 


474,758 


25,000 


(I 


293,294 


68,800 


" 


240,000 
380,982 


33,000 
210,000 


u 


297,407 
475,088 


5,000 
126,500 


t( 


773,823 


300,000 


l( 


449,560 




75 P- c. 


300,000 


25,000 


All. 


517,205 


115,000 




297,468 


140,000 


i( 


150,174 


10,000 




200,000 


70,000 




1,256,240 


366,000 


ti 


575,761 


170,000 


" 


468 324 


15,000 




161,370 


5,000 


" 


1,257,554 


500,000 
15,000 




1,827,660 
1,908,831 


450,00c 
500,000 


(I 


325,033 


45,000 


" 



INSURANCE LOSSES. 



Companies. Capital. 

Republic, New York $300,000 

Safeguard, New York 200,000 

Standard, New York 200,000 

Star, New York 200,000 

St. Nicholas, New York 150,000 

St. Paul's F. and M., St. Paul 400,000 

State, Philadelphia 

State, Hannibal, Missouri 

Traders', Chicago 500,000 

Tradesmen's, New York 150,000 

Triumph, Cincinnati 500,000 

Union, Bangor 200,000 

Union, San Francisco 750,000* 

Union Mutual, Philadelphia 139,820 

United States, New York 250,000 

Washington , New York 200,000 

Washington, Providence 200,000 

Westchester, New York 200,000 

Williamsburgh City, New York 200,000 



80 



Assets. 


Losses 
in Boston. 


IVill 
pay. 


$503-774 


$200,000 


All. 


240,000 


15,000 


" 


453,180 


357>ooo 


(( 


372,326 


150,000 


i( 


239,494 


15 000 




532,629 


20,000 
5,000 
10,000 




600,000 


60,000 


ti 


435,000 


240,000 


(I 


850,000 


50.000 


" 


540,785 


150,000 


" 


1,039,015 


90,000 


" 


259,725 


34500 
5,000 


« 


213,061 


50,000 


50 p. 


203,062 




All. 


700,000 


100,000 


" 


550,673 


184,700 


(( 



FOREIGN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN BOSTON. 



Companies. Capital. 

Commercial Union, England $1,250,000 

Hamburg 

Imperial, England 3,500,000 

Liverpool and London and Globe.... 1,956,760 

London Assurance Corporation 

Lancashire, England 10,000,000 

North British and Mercantile 1,250,000 

Queen, England 899,000 

Royal, England 1,445,475 



Jati. I, 1871. 


Losses. 


$12,000,000 


$300,000 


1,000,000 


45,000 


5,702,652 


880,000 


20,106,900 


1,731.500 


15,220,000 


104,000 


12,500,000 


125,000 


5,410,333 


600,000 


2,400.361 


400,000 


50,109,293 


1,200,000 



The following table shows the date of organization and the average 
annual dividend of the bankrupt insurance companies in this city : 



When 
Companies. organized. 

Boston 1823 

Boy Iston 1825 

City 1850 

Eliot 1851 

Faneuil Hall 1871 

Firemen's 1831 



Av. ann. 
Div'nd. 



90 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

JV/ieM Av. atm. 

Companies. organized. Div'nd. 

Franklin 1823 .og 

Howard 1856 .10 

Lawrence 1870 .00 

Manufacturers' 1822 .17 

Mercantile 1823 .10 

Merchants' 1810 .19 

National 1832 .15 

Neptune 1831 ,16 

North American 1851 .11 

Prescott 1856 .07 

Shoe and Leather 1855 ,10 

Suffolk ., 1859 'OS 

Tremont 1867 .05 

Washington i8s6 .11 



APPENDIX 



APPENDIX 



COMMOWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



In the Year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy-Two. 



AN ACT 

To enable the City of Boston to make and issue its bonds for certain 

purposes. 

B. U enacte^ty tke Senate and ^-- "/ f ^"'''''7^1^""'' 
Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows . 

SECTION I The city of Boston is hereby authorized to make and issue 
twenty miUions of dollars, bearing an interest of not more than hve pe 

TerviL a ^hall be fixed by the eity eouncil, to be pa.d by sa.d aty 

Tect X The duties and powe,, of said eomm.sstoners shall be as 
follorthey are hereby authorized to loan, in a safe and judtctous 



94 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

manner, the proceeds of the bonds hereby authorized to be issued, in such 
sums as they shall determine, to the owners of land, the buildings upon 
which were burned by the fire in said Boston, on the ninth and tenth days 
of November, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-two, upon the 
notes or bonds of such owners, secured by first mortgages of said land, 
said mortgages to be conditioned that the rebuilding shall be commenced 
within one year from the first day of January, in the year eighteen hundred 
and seventy-three, and said commissioners to have full power to apply the 
proceeds of said bonds in making said loans in such manner, and to make 
such further provisions, conditions, and limitations in reference to said 
loans, and securing the same, as shall be best calculated, in their judgment, 
to insure the employment of the same in rebuilding upon said land burned 
over, and the payment thereof to the said city. The loans upon such 
mortgages shall be payable in not more than ten years from date, and at a 
rate of interest of seven per centum per annum, payable semi-annually. 
When said loans are made, and the mortgages to secure them are com- 
pleted, the said mortgages, notes, bonds, and securities connected therewith, 
are to be delivered by said commissioners to the treasurer of the city of 
Boston. The bonds hereby mentioned are to be negotiated and sold by 
and under the direction of said commissioners ; but all proceeds received 
from such negotiation and sale are to be paid to the treasurer of said city. 
Said commissioners shall have authority to withhold the payment of any 
portion of a loan agreed to be made to an owner of land burned over by 
said fire, when it shall be necessary in their judgment so to do, to insure 
the speedy rebuilding on said land. 

Sect. 4. A sinking fund shall be established for the payment of the 
bonds issued under this act, which shall consist of all premiums from the 
sale of said bonds above their par value, of all receipts of interest upon 
loans made under the authority of this act, over and above the interest 
paid on said bonds, and of all payments of the loans made under the 
authority of this act. The city treasurer shall keep an account of all 
sums received for said sinking fund, and the same shall be invested from 
time to time under the direction and authority of the commissioners of the 
sinking fund of the city of Boston ; and the receipts of income from the 
sums so invested shall be held as a part of said fund, and be re-invested in 
the same manner as the principal. [And said commissioners of said 
sinking fund are authorized to invest any part thereof, in buying and 
cancelling the bonds issued by virtue of this act.] And when the bonds 
of said city, authorized by this act, become due and payable, said sinking 
fund shall be used and applied to the payment thereof. 



THE CITY LOAN. 95 

Sect. 5. Vacancies in said board of commissioners shall be filled by 
the remaining commissioner or commissioners and the mayor of said city. 
And upon all matters that come before said board, they are to act by a 
majority of the board. Said commissioners, or any of them, may be 
removed from office by the supreme judicial court in their discretion 
upon complaint of the mayor of said city, or of any ten citizens thereof, 
beincT tax payers, and said court is hereby empowered to adjudicate upon 
said°complaint according to the course of proceedings in equity, and to 
make all proper decrees touching the same. If, from any cause, there shall 
be at any time vacancies in the whole of said board of commissioners 
then new commissioners are to be appointed, as is hereinbefore provided 
for first filling said board. , , r 

Sect 6 The treasurer of the city of Boston shall have the custody of 
all money received from the sale of the bonds hereby authorized, of all 
notes, bonds, mortgages, and securities taken by said commissioners, and 
of all money paid thereon, and of all money and securities belonging to 
said sinking fund, and shall give bond to said city with sureties for the 
faithful discharge of his duties under this act, to the satisfaction of the 
mayor of said city; and shall receive such compensation for his duties 
under this act as shall be determined by the city council of said city. 
He shall pay out the proceeds of the bonds sold to the persons to whom 
loans have been made under this act by said commissioners, upon the 
warrant of said commissioners signed by a majority of the board. He 
shall keep a separate account of all sums received and paid out under this 
act and in the execution thereof, and also ofahe receipts and payments 
on' account of said sinking fund, and of its condition, which accounts 
shall at all times be open to the inspection of the committee on finance 
and the city council of said city; and he shall, at the end of each half 
year, make a full report of his doings under this act, to the city council of 
said city, which shall be published in the newspapers m which the 
ordinances of the city are published. 

Sect 7 The said commissioners shall keep a true and careful record 
of all their doings under this act, also of the loans made, and the mort- 
gages taken by them ; and for this purpose t^ey are authorized to appoint 
a clerk, whose compensation shall be fixed by the city council, and paid 
by said city. And said record shall at all times be open to the mspection 
of the committee on finance and of the city council of said city. And 
the commissioners shall at the end of each quarter make a full report of 
their doings to the city council, which shall be published m the news- 
papers in which the ordinances of the city are published. 



g6 THE BOSTON FIRE 

Sect. 8. No loan under this act shall be made by said commissioners 
after one year from the first day of January, in the year 1873; but this 
shall not prevent the carrying into execution any contract for a loan under 
this act made by said commissioners before the expiration of said year, 
although the whole of said loan may not have been paid to the borrower 
before the expiration of said year. 

Sect. 9. This act shall take effect upon its passage, but no action shall 
be taken under its provisions until it has been accepted by the city 
council of said city. 



Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 



Chapter 375. 



AN ACT 

To authorize the formation of Insurance companies, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Sena^ and House of Representatives in General 
Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows 

Section i. Any ten or more persons residents of this Commonwealth, 
who shall have associated themselves together by an agreement, in writing, 
such as is hereinafter described, with the intention to constitute a corpora- 
tion for the purpose of transacting the business of insurance, either upon 
the stock or mutual principle, against loss or damage by fire, by lightning, 
by tempest, or by the perils of the sea, and other perils usually insured 
against by marine insurance companies, including risks of inland naviga- 
tion and transportation, shall become a corporation upon complying with 
the provisions of section nine of this act, and shall remain a corporation, 
with all the powers, rights, and privileges, and subject to all the duties, 
liabilities, and restrictions set forth in all general laws which are or maybe 
in force relating to insurance corporations. 

Sect. 2. Such agreement shall set forth the fact that the subscribers 
thereto associate themselves with the intention to constitute a corporation, 



THE INSURANCE ACT. 97 

the name by which the corporation shall be known, the class or classes 
of insurance for the transaction of which the corporation is constituted, 
the plan or principle upon which the business is to be conducted, the 
town or city, which town or city shall be within this Commonwealth, in 
which it is established or located, and if a joint-stock company, the 
amount of its capital stock, and if a mutual company, with a guarantee 
capital, the amount thereof. The capital stock of a joint-stock company 
insuring against loss or damage by fire, or by fire and lightning only, shall not 
beless than two hundred thousand dollars if the company is located in Boston, 
and not less than one hundred thousand dollars if located elsewhere. If 
insuring marine or inland risks, either alone or in conjunction with fire risks, 
its capital stock shall not be less than three hundred thousand dollars if the 
company is located in Boston, and not less than two hundred thousand 
dollars if located elsewhere. 

Sect. 3. Any mutual fire insurance company may be organized under 
the provisions of this act with a guarantee capital of not less than one 
hundred thousand dollars, and not more than three hundred thousand 
dollars, divided into shares of one hundred dollars each, and no policy 
shall be issued by such corporation until the whole amount of the guar- 
antee capital fixed by the articles of association has been paid in in cash, 
and invested in accordance with the provisions of section thirty-one of 
chapter fifty-eight of the General Statutes, and chapter twenty-nine of the 
acts of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four. 

Sect. 4. Any mutual marine and mutual fire and marine insurance 
company may be organized under the provisions of this act, with a per- 
manent fund of not less than four hundred thousand dollars, subscribed 
ujider the provisions of sections thirty-five and thirty-seven of chapter 
fifty-eight of the General Statutes ; and no policy shall be issued by such 
corporation until one half said permanent fund has been paid in in cash, 
which shall be divided into shares of one hundred dollars each. Such 
corporations may increase said permanent fund to an amount not exceed- 
ing one million of dollars. 

Sect. 5, Any name, not previously in use by any existing corporation 
or company, may be adopted : provided, that the words " insurance 
company " shall constitute a part of the title ; and if the business is to be 
conducted upon the mutual principle, the words " mutual insurance com- 
pany" shall constitute a part of such title. No certificate shall be granted 
to any corporation as hereinafter provided, if, in the judgment of the 
insurance commissioner, the name adopted too closely resembles the name 
of an existing corporation or company, or is likely to mislead the public. 

5 



98 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

Sect. 6. The first meeting for the purpose of organization shall be 
called by a notice, signed by one or more of the subscribers to such agree- 
ment, stating the time, place, and purpose of the meeting, a copy 
of yvhich notice shall, seven days at least before the day appointed, be 
given to each subscriber, or left at his usual place of business or residence, 
or deposited in the post-office, postage prepaid, and addressed to him at 
his usual place of business or residence. And whoever gives such notices 
shall make affidavit of his doings, which shall be entered upon the records 
of the company : provided^ hovoever, that when organizations shall be 
commenced prior to the first day of January, in the year eighteen hun- 
dred and seventy-three, the foregoing notice may be waived by a written 
acknowledgment of the receipt of notice signed by the subscribers, which 
shall be sufficient evidence that due notice has been given. 

Sect. 7. At such first meeting, including any adjournment thereof, 
an organization shall be effected by the choice by ballot of a temporary 
clerk, who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of his duty, by the 
adoption of by-laws and by the election, in the manner provided by law, 
of directors and such other officers as the by-laws require; but at such first 
meeting no person shall be elected director who has not subscribed to the 
articles of association. The temporary clerk shall record the proceed- 
ings until and including the qualification of the secretary of the corpora- 
tion by his being duly sworn. 

Sect. 8. The directors so chosen shall elect a president, a secretary, 
and any other officers which under the by-laws they are authorized to 
choose. 

Sect. 9. The president, secretary, and a majority of the directors shall 
forthwith make, sign, and swear to a certificate setting forth a copy 
of the articles of association, with the names of the subscribers 
thereto, the date of the first meeting, and, of any adjournments 
thereof, and shall submit such certificate and the records of the corpora- 
tion to the inspection of the insurance commissioner, who shall examine 
the same, and who may require such other evidence as he may judge 
necessary. The commissioner, if it shall appear that the requirements of 
the preceding sections of this act have been complied with, shall certify 
that fact, and his approval of the certificate, by indorsement thereon. Such 
certificate shall thereupon be filed in the office of the secretary of the 
Commonwealth by said officers, and upon being paid by them the fee 
hereinafter provided, the secretary shall cause the same, with the indorse- 
ment thereon, to be recorded, and shall thereupon issue to said corpora- 
tion a certificate in the following form : 



THE INSURANCE ACT. 99 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

Be it known, that whereas [here the names of subscribers to the 
articles of association shall be inserted], have associated themselves 
with the intention of forming a corporation under the name of [here 
the name of the corporation shall be inserted], for the purpose [here the 
purpose declared in the articles of association shall be inserted], with a 
capital or with a permanent fund of [here amount of capital or permanent 
fund fixed in the articles of association shall be inserted], and have 
complied with the provisions of the statutes of this Commonwealth in 
such case made and provided, as appears from the certificate of the 
president, secretary, and directors of said corporation, duly approved by 
the insurance commissioner, and recorded in this office. Now, there- 
fore, I [here the name of the secretary shall be inserted], secretary 
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby certify that said [here 
the names of the subscribers to the articles of association shall be inserted], 
their associates and successors, are legally organized and established asj 
and are hereby made an existing corporation under the name of [here 
the name of the corporation shall be inserted], with the powers, rights, 
and privileges, and subject Vo the duties, liabilities, and restrictions which 
by law appertain thereto. Witness my official signature hereunto sub- 
scribed, and the seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts hereunto 
affixed this day of , in the year of our Lord 

. [In these blanks the day, month, and year of execution of 
the certificate shall be inserted, and in the case of purely mutual compa- 
nies, so much as relates to capital stock shall be omitted.] 

The secretary of the Commonwealth shall sign the same, and cause 
the seal of the Commonwealth to be thereto affixed, and such certificate 
shall have the force and effect of a special charter, and be conclusive evi- 
dence of the organization and establishment of such corporation. The 
secretary shall also cause a record of such certificate to be made, and a 
copy of such record, duly certified, may, with like effect as the original 
certificate, be given in evidence, to prove the organization and establish- 
ment of such corporation. 

Sect. id. No policy shall be issued by a purely mutual company or- 
ganized under the provisions of this act, until the sum of five hundred 
thousand dollars shall have been subscribed to be insured and entered on 
the books of the company : provided, however, that in any town of less 
than four thousand inhabitants, a company may be organized under the 
provisions of this act, to insure dwelling-houses, farm buildings, and con- 

LOFC. 



lOO THE BOSTON FIRE. 

tents only, within the limits of the town where said company is located, 
and may issue policies when fifty thousand dollars have been subscribed to 
be insured. 

Sect. ii. The holders of stock in mutual fire insurance companies 
with a guarantee capital, organized under the provisions of this act, shall 
be entitled to a net semi-annual dividend not exceeding six per cent, on 
their respective shares, if the net profit, after providing for all expenses, 
losses, and liabilities then incurred, including a sum sufficient to reinsure 
all outstanding risks, is sufficient from time to time to pay the same ; and 
if any such dividend is less than six per cent., it shall be made up when 
such net profit becomes sufficient therefor. Three fourths of said net 
profit, after the payment of said dividends, shall be credited to, and, at 
the expiration of the policies, divided among the insured, and the remain- 
ing one fourth shall be invested and be a reserve for the security of the 
insured ; but when, from time to time, the reserve shall exceed five per 
cent, on the amount insured, the whole of said net profit in excess of said 
reserve of five per cent, shall, after the payment of said dividends, be 
divided among the insured at the expiration of their policies. 

The guai-antee capital shall be applied to the payment of losses only 
when the other cash funds have been exhausted ; and if the guarantee 
capital shall at any time be reduced, it shall be replaced from the first ac- 
cumulation of the reserve, or the directors may, at their discretion, replace 
the whole, or any part of it, by assessments upon the contingent funds in 
the possession of the company at the time of said reduction. 

Shareholders and policy-holders in corporations referred to in this sec- 
tion shall be subject to the same provisions of law in voting at all meet- 
ings of such corporations as apply respectively to shareholders in joint- 
stock companies and policy-holders in purely mutual companies, and the 
directors may be elected from the stockholders or policy-holders, not less 
than one half being from the holders of stock. Such companies may 
insure property located in any part of the United States, and for its full 
value, and shall be subject to the provisions of chapter two hundred and 
eighty-three of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five. 

Sect. 12, The holders of shares ii-uthe permanent fund of any mutual 
marine, or mutual fire or marine insurance company, shall be entitled to a 
semi-annual dividend of not exceeding six per cent., and the makers of 
the promissory notes constituting any part of such fund shall be entitled to 
a semi-annual dividend not exceeding two and one half per cent, of the 
amount of such notes, if the net profits and income of the company, after 
providing for all expenses, losses, and liabilities then existing, including a 



THE INSURANCE ACT. lOI 

sum sufficient to reinsure all outstanding risks, as provided by the laws of 
the Commonwealth, are sufficient to pay the same ; and if any dividends 
are less than those amounts respectively, the same shall be made up when 
such net profits and income become sufficient therefor. 

The directors may declare, each year, a dividend of the remainder of 
such net profits and income on the premiums received on risks terminated 
during the year, and issue certificates therefor, as provided in the general 
laws relating to mutual marine or mutual fire and marine insurance com- 
panies : provided, that no such certificate shall be redeemed until the accu- 
mulation of net profits exceed the sum of five hundred thousand dollars, 
and no certificates shall be redeemed until the directors so determine. 

The shareholders in corporations referred to in this section shall be the 
members of the company, and subject to the same provisions of law in 
voting at all meetings of such corporations as apply to shareholders in 
joint-stock companies. All such companies shall be subject to the pro- 
visions of chapter two hundred and eighty-three of the acts of the year 
eighteen hundred and sixty-five. 

Sect. 13. Any joint-stock insurance company organized under the 
provisions of this act may, at a meeting called for the purpose, increase 
the amount of its capital stock, and the number of shares therein, and, 
within thirty days after the payment or collection of the last instaln:\ent of 
such increase, shall present to the insurance commissioner a certificate set- 
'ting forth the amount of such increase, and the fact of such payment, 
signed and sworn to by the president, secretary, and a majority of the 
directors of such corporation. The insurance commissioner shall examine 
the certificate, and ascertain the character of the investments of such 
increase; and, if the same conforms to law, shall endorse his approval 
thereof, and such certificate shall then be filed with the secretary of the 
Commonwealth, and thereupon the company shall be authorized to transact 
business upon the capital so increased, and the insurance commissioner 
shall issue his certificate to that effect; and any mutual insurance company 
with a guarantee capital may, within the limits authorized by this act, in- 
crease its capital in the same manner as a joint stock insurance company. 

Sect. 14. The fees to be paid for filing and recording the certificates 
required by sections nine and thirteen, to be filed with the secretary of the 
Commonwealth, shall be as follows : 

For the certificate required by section nine, twenty-five dollars. 
For the certificate required by section thirteen, five dollars. 
Sect. 15. Corporations organized under the provisions of this act 
may hold real estate for the purposes of their business, to an amount not 
exceeding twenty-five per cent, of their cash assets. 



I02 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

Sect. i6. No insurance corporation or association of any other State 
or country shall be hereafter admitted to do business in this State, unless 
it has at least the amount of unimpaired capital stock or funds required of 
like corporations or associations hereafter organized in this State, located 
in the city of Boston ; and the provisions of this section, relating to capital 
stock or funds, shall be held applicable to all insurance corporations or 
associations of any other State or country doing business in this State, after 
the first day of January, eighteen hundred and seventy-four. 

Sect. 17. No joint-stock insurance company organized under the laws 
of this Commonwealth, and doing the business of insurance under such 
organization, shall declare cash dividends exceeding in amount six per 
cent, semi-annually on their capital stock ; but any such company may 
issue /r<7 rata to its stockholders certificates of such portion of its profits 
and income as the directors may from time to time determine, not includ- 
ing therein any portion of the premium money of risks not terminated, 
and after providing for all expenses, losses, and liabilities then incurred ; 
and the capital stock of such company shall be increased by the amount 
of the certificates of stock so issued ; and whenever any increase of capi- 
tal shall be made by any insurance company under the provisions of this 
act, a certificate thereof shall be filed with the insurance commissioner, 
whose duty it shall be to certify to the amount of the capital stock of the 
company so increased, in like manner as by law is provided in case of the 
organization of joint-stock insurance companies. 

Sect. 18. The mayor and aldermen of the several cities, and the 
selectmen of towns having more than four thousand inhabitants, shall, 
before the first day of O.ctober, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy- 
three, divide their respective cities and towns into fire-insurance districts, 
and, immediately thereafter, file plans and specifications thereof with the 
insurance commissioner, and the same shall be subject to his approval; 
and if he disapprove the same, the mayor and aldermen or selectmen shall 
forthwith redistrict such city or town in conformity to his requirement. 
And no company or association transacting the business of fire insurance 
in this Commonwealth shall, after said first day of October, take or have 
at risk on property other than dwelling-houses, farm buildings, and their 
contents, in any town or such fire-insurance district of a city or town 
therein, an amount exceeding its net assets available for the payment of 
losses in Massachusetts ; and in computing the assets of such company or 
association insuring property upon the mutual principle, its premium notes 
shall be included. When, from any cause, the net assets, as aforesaid, of 
any such company or association shall be reduced to a sum less than the 



THE INSURANCE ACT. I03 

amount taken or held at risk in any town or any such fire-insurance dis- 
trict, as provided in this section, such company or association shall forth- 
with either cancel or return to the holder the unearned portion of the pre- 
mium upon policies upon property in such territory, to an amount equal to 
the difference between the net assets and the amount taken or held at risk, 
as aforesaid, or effect reinsurance upon such property for a like sum ; and 
no such cancellation shall take place except after notice to the holder of 
the policy. Every such company or association shall, annually, on or be- 
fore the fifteenth day of January, return to the insurance commissioner a 
sworn statement of the amount taken or held at risk in each town or fire- 
insurance district of a city in this Commonwealth, on the thirty-first day 
of December next preceding. The insurance commissioner may, when- 
ever he deems expedient, require of said companies or associations such a 
statement, or any part thereof; he may also require such other informa- 
tion, and adopt such rules and regulations, as he may deem proper and 
necessary to procure reliable information upon this subjects For every 
policy issued in violation of the provisions of this section, by an insurance 
company incorporated under the laws of this Commonwealth, the presi- 
dent and secretary thereof shall, severally, upon conviction, be punished 
by a fine of fifty dollars. Any agent of company or association not in- 
corporated under the laws of this Commonwealth, but duly authorized to 
transact business therein, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of 
fifty dollars for each policy issued in violation of the provisions of this 
section, and upon a second conviction, his certificate of agency or license 
shall he revoked by the insurance commissioner. 

Sect. 19. Any existing mutual fire insurance company, at a meeting 
specially called for that puipose, may, by a major vote of the policy-hold- 
ers present and voting thereon, acquire a guarantee capital, as hereinbefore 
provided for mutual fire insurance companies with a guarantee capital ; 
and, within thirty days after the payment or collection of the last instal- 
ment of the subscription to such guarantee capital, shall present to the in- 
surance commissioner a certificate setting forth the fact of such vote and 
of such payment, signed and sworn to by the president, secretary, and a 
majority of the directors of such company. The insurance commissioner 
shall examine the certificate, and ascertain the character of the invest- 
ments of said capital; and, if the same conforms to law, shall endorse 
his approval thereof, and such certificate shall then be filed with the sec- 
retary of the Commonwealth , and thereupon such company shall be' 
authorized and required to transact business as a mutual fire insurance 
company with a guarantee capital under this act, and the insurance com- 
missioner shall issue his certificate to that effect. 



I04 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

Sect. 20. If any corporation organized under this act does not com- 
mence to issue policies within one year after, the date of the certiticate of 
its organization, its corporate powers and existence shall cease. 

Sect. 21. The provisions of this act, and the franchises, rights, 
powers, privileges, duties, and liabilities of insurance companies organized 
under this or any other general act, may be altered, amended, or repealed, 
and the legislature may annul or dissolve any such corporation. 

Sect. 22. This act shall take effect upon its passage. 

Approved, December 18, 1872. 



Chapter 371. 



AN ACT 

In addition to an act to provide for the regulation and inspection of build- 
ings, the more effectual prevention of fire, and the better preservation 
of life and property in Boston. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General 
Conrt assembled, and by the azithority of the same, as follows : 

Section I. Section three of chapter two hundred and sixty of the 
acts of the year eighteen hundred and seventy-two is amended, so that 
the same shall read as follows : 

Buildings other than dwelling-houses shall have walls of the following 
thickness : 

For buildings in which the walls do not exceed thirty-five feet in height, 
the foundation walls shall be laid of block stone in horizonial courses not 
less than twenty-four inches thick, the external walls shall not be less than 
sixteen inches thick to the top of the upper floor, and not less than twelve 
inches thick for the remaining height 

For buildings in which the walls exceed thirty-five feet in height, the 
foundation walls shall be laid of block stone in horizontal courses not less 
than twenty-eight inches thick, the external walls not less than twenty 
inches thick to the top of the third floor, and not less than sixteen inches 
thick for the remaining height. 

All party walls shall not be less than twenty inches thick to the top of 



THE BUILDING ACT. I05 

the second floor above the street, and not less than sixteen inches thick to 
the under side of the roof-boards, and not less than twelve inches thick for 
the remaining height. 

In all buildings over twenty-five feet in width, not having either brick 
partition walls, or girders supported by columns running from front to rear, 
the external walls shall be increased four inches in thickness, for every 
additional twenty-five feet in the width of said building. 

The amount of materials above specified for external walls may be used 
either in piers or buttresses : provided, the external walls between the said 
piers or buttresses shall in no case be less than sixteen inches thick. 

The bottom course for all foundation walls resting upon the ground 
shall be at least twelve inches wider than the thickness above given for the 
foundation walls. 

Sect. 2. Section twenty-one of chapter two hundred and eighty of 
the acts of the year eighteen hundred and seventy-one is amended, so that 
the same shall read as follows : 

For dwelling-houses with walls not exceeding thirty-five feet in height, 
foundation waifs, laid with block stone in horizontal courses, or in brick 
laid in cement, shall be not less than sixteen inches thick, and external and 
party walls of brick shall be not less than twelve inches thick for the 
entire height. 

For dwelling-houses with walls exceeding thirty-five and not exceeding 
fifty-five feet in height, foundation walls laid with block stone in horizontal 
courses shall be not less than eighteen inches thick; if of brick, the 
foundation walls shall be sixteen inches thick, and laid in cement. Ex- 
ternal brick walls shall be not less than twelve inches thick ; party walls of 
brick shall not be less than twelve inches thick for the entire height. 

For dwelling-houses with walls exceeding fifty-five feet in height, 
foundation walls", laid with block stone in horizontal courses, or brick laid 
in cement, shall be not less than twenty inches thick. External and 
party brick walls shall be not less than twelve inches thick for the entire 

The thickness of foundation walls laid with irregular rubble-work shall 
be one fourth greater than the thickness given for block stone walls. 

Sect. 3. The height of every external or party wall, as referred to m 
this act, or in the act of which this act is an amendment, or in any act in 
amendment thereof, shall be measured from the level of the sidewalk to 
its highest point. 

Sect. 4. The external walls of buildings intended to be used for 
stables or for workshops of a light character may be built of a less thick- 
5* 



I06 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

ness than hereinbefore specified : provided, that any such building shall 
not exceed thirty feet in height to its highest point, and forty feet in length 
or width, and that the said walls shall in no case be less than twelve 
inches thick. Vaulted party walls may be used instead of solid walls. 
They shall be built at least twenty inches thick from the foundation walls 
to the under side of the roof boarding. Said walls shall be constructed 
of two outer walls of equal thickness, with an air-space between them of 
four inches, and tied together, perpendicularly with continuous withes of 
hard-burned brick of good quality, which shall not be more than three feet 
apart. The air-space shall be smoothly plastered. 

Sect. 5, In every brick wall, every ninth course of brick shall be a 
heading course, except in walls built with some bond in which as much as 
every ninth course is a heading course, and except where walls are faced 
with face brick, in which case every ninth course shall be bonded into the 
backing by cutting the course of the faced brick and putting in diagonal 
headers behind the same, or by splitting face brick in half, and backing 
the same by a continuous row of headers. In all walls which are faced 
with thin ashlar, anchored to the backing, or in which the ashlar has not 
either alternate headers and stretchers in each course, or alternate heading 
and stretching courses, the backing of brick shall not be less than twelve 
inches thick, and shall not be built to a greater height than prescribed for 
twelve-inch walls. All heading courses shall be good, hard, perfect 
brick. The backing in all walls, of whatever material it may be composed, 
shall be of such thickness as to make all walls, the facing of which is less 
than four inches thick, independent of the facing, conform, as to thickness, 
with the requirements of sections one and two of this act. 

Sect, 6, Every building hereafter erected, more than thirty feet in 
width, except churches, theatres, railroad-station buildings, and other 
public buildings, shall have one or more brick or stone partition walls 
running from front to rear, and carried up to a height not less than the top 
of the second -story floor joists ; said wall or walls may be four inches less 
in thickness than is called for by the provisions relating to the thickness of 
walls ; these walls shall be so located that the space between any two of 
the floor-bearing walls of the building shall not be over twenty-five feet. 
Iron or wooden girders, supported upon iron or wooden columns, may be 
substituted in place of partition walls, and shall be made of sufficient 
strength to bear safely the weight which they are intended to support, in 
addition to the weight of material employed in their construction, and 
shall have a footing course and foundation wall not less than eighteen 
inches in thickness, or piers of a size and strength equivalent thereto. 



THE BUILDING ACT. I07 

Sect, 7. It shall not be lawful to erect, construct, or build any rear, 
front, party, division or partition wall, upon wooden girders, rafters or 
lintels, or to support any such wall by any wooden support whatever; 
but all such supports shall be of iron, brick, or stone, and of sufficient size 
and strength to support the superstructure. All lintels used to support 
walls or other weights over openings shall be of sufficient strength 
and bearing to carry the superimposed weight, and shall, when supported 
at the end by brick walls or piers, rest upon an iron plate at least two 
inches thick, the full size of the bearing. 

No floor-beams shall be supported wholly upon any wood partition, but 
every beam (except headers and tail beams) shall rest, at one end, not less 
than four inches in the wall, or upon a girder, as authorized by this act. 
And eveiy trimmer or header more than four feet long, used in any build- 
ing except a dwelling, shall be hung in stirrup-irons, of suitable thickness 
for the size of the timbers. No timber shall be used in any wall of any 
building where ston,e, brick, or iron is commonly used, except bond 
timbers and lintels, as hereinbefore provided for, or as may be approved 
of by the inspector of buildings ; and no bond timber in any wall shall in 
width and thickness exceed that of a course of brick. No bond timber 
shall be more than three feet in length, and such bond timbers shall 
'be laid not less than eighteen inches apart, parallel to each other, and 
there shall be eight inches of brick or mason-work between the ends 
of the same. The butts or ends of all floor beams and rafters entering 
a brick wall shall be cut on a splay of three inches in their width. 

All main partitions, supporting in any manner the floor beams or 
rafters, shall be placed directly over each other, and shall rest on a wall, 
girder, or hard pine capping, and shall head and foot against each other as 
far as practicable. 

Sect. 8. All piers shall be built of good, hard, well-burnt brick, and 
laid in clear cement, and all bricks used in piers shall be of the hardest 
quality, and be well wet when laid ; and the walls and piers under all 
compound, cast-iron, or wooden girders, iron or other columns, shall have a 
bond iron at least two inches in thickness, and if in a wall, at least two 
feet in length, running through the wall, and if in a pier, the full size of 
the thickness thereof, every thirty inches in height from the bottom, 
whether said pier is in the wall or not, and shall have a cap of iron, at 
least two inches in thickness, satisfactory to the inspector of buildings, by 
the whole size of the pier, if in a pier, and if in a wall, it shall be at least 
two feet in length by the thickness of the wall, and of the thicknesses above 
specified. All brick walls in buildings other than dwelling-houses shall 



Io8 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

be corbelled to receive floor timbers, and such timbers shall be supported 
thereby. In case vaulted walls are used, the corbelling to receive floor 
timbers may be dispensed with. In any case where any iron or other 
column rests on any wall or pier built entirely of stone or brick, the said 
column shall be set on an iron plate at least two inches thick, of the size 
of said pier. When any outer wall is supported in whole or in part by 
columns or pillars, the depth of base and head of such columns or pillars 
shall be equal to the required thickness of the wall thereby supported. 

Sect. 9. In all calculations for the strength of materials to be used in 
any building, the proportion between the safe v/eight and the breaking 
weight shall be as one to three for all beams, girders, and other pieces 
subjected to a cross strain, and as one to six for all posts, columns, and 
other vertical supports, and for all tie-rods, tie-beams, and other pieces 
subjected to a tensile strain ; and the requisite dimensions of each piece 
of material is to be ascertained by computation by the rules given by 
the best authorities, using for constants in the rules only such numbers 
as have been deduced from experiments on materials of like kind with that 
proposed to be used. 

Sect. 10. In no case shall the side, end, or party wall of any build- 
ing be carried up in advance of the rear walls. The front, rear, side, end, 
and party walls of any building hereafter to be erected shall be anchored 
to each other every ten feet in their height, by tie-anchors, made of at 
least one and a quarter inch by three eighths of an inch, wrought iron. 
The said anchors shall be built into the side or party walls not less than 
thirty-six inches, and into the front and rear walls at least one half the 
thickness of the front and rear walls, so as to secure the front and rear 
walls to the side, end, or party walls. 

The side, end, or party walls shall be anchored at each tier of beams, 
at intervals of not more than ten feet apart, with good strong wrought- 
iron anchors, at least one half inch by one and one half inch ; well built 
into the side walls, and fastened to the top of the beams, and where the 
beams are supported by girders, the ends of the beams resting on the 
girder shall be butted together, end to end, and strapped by wrought iron 
■straps," or tie-irons, at the same distances apart, and on the same beams as 
the wall-anchors, and shall be well fastened. 

All mortar shall be of the best quality for the purpose for which it is 
applied. 

Sect. ii. All party walls shall be carried up to a height of not less 
than two and one half feet above the roof covering, with the full thick- 
ness of the party wall, and shall be coped with stone or iron, securely 



THE BUILDING ACT. IO9 

fastened. And where there is a flat, hip, or pitch roof, the party wall 
shall be carried up to a height of not less than two and one half feet above 
the roof covering, at every part of said roof, and shall be corbelled at 
least twelve inches, or to the outer edge of all projections on the front or 
rear walls of the building. And where the roof is of the kind known as 
Mansard, or French, or of any style excepting as above specified, unless 
the same is constructed of fire-proof materials throughout, the party wall 
shall be carried up to a height of not less than two and one half feet 
above the flat or upper slope of said roof, and shall extend through the 
lower slope, at least eighteen inches distant from the parallel with the 
roof covering, and be corbelled out at least twelve inches, or to the outer 
edge of all projections, and shall be coped with stone or iron: provided^ 
that if a gutter-stone of suitable dimensions and properly balanced shall 
be inserted, it shall be equivalent to corbelling. 

All roof or floor timbers entering tlie same party wall from opposite 
sides shall have at least four inches solid brickwork between the ends of 
said timbers. 

Sect. 12. All stores or storehouses that may hereafter be built in said 
city, which are more than forty-five feet in height above the curb level, 
shall have doors, blinds, or shutters, made of fire-proof metal, on every 
window and entrance where the same do not open on a street. When 
in any such building the shutters, blinds, or doors cannot be put on the 
outside of such door or window, they shall be put on the inside, and if 
placed oh the inside shall be hung upon an iron frame independent of the 
woodwork of the window-frame or door; and every such door, blind, or 
shutter shall be closed upon the completion of the business of each day 
by the occupant having the use or control of the same ; and all fire-proof 
shutters or blinds, that now are or may hereafter be put upon the front or 
sides of any building on the street fronts, must be so constructed that they 
can be closed and opened from the outside above the first story. 

Sect. 13. All buildings hereafter erected, to be used for railroad sta- 
tions, public assemblies, schoolhouses, hotels, lodging or tenement-houses, 
and manufactories, where there are to be more than twenty-five persons 
resident, assembled, or employed, above the first floor, shall be provided 
with staircases of, and enclosed with, non-combustible materials, and of a 
width to be approved by the inspector of buildings, and provided with 
doors opening outward. 

Sect. 14. Any building already erected, or that may hereafter be 
erected, in which operatives are employed in any of the stories above the 
second story, shall be provided with such fire-escapes as shall be directed 



no THE BOSTON FIRE. 

and approved by the inspector of buildings. And the owner or owners 
of any buildings upon which any fire-escapes may now be, or may here- 
after be erected, shall keep the same in good repair and well painted. 
And no person shall at any time place any incumbrance of any kind 
whatever upon any said fire-escapes now erected, or that may hereafter be 
erected in said city. 

Sect. 15. All buildings in the city of Boston hereafter to be built 
shall have scuttle-frames and covers, or bulkheads and doors on the roof, 
made of or covered with fire-proof material, and all scuttles shall have 
stationary ladders leading to the same, and all such scuttles or ladders 
shall be kept so as to be ready for use at all times, and all scuttles shall 
not be less in size than two by three feet ; and if a bulkhead is used or 
substituted in any building in place of a scuttle, it shall have stairs with 
a sufficient guard or hand-rail leading to the roof; and in case the build- 
ing shall be a tenement-house, the door in the bulkhead, or any scuttle, 
shall at no time be locked, but may be fastened on the inside by movable 
hooks or locks. 

Sect. 16. No smoke-pipe in any building with wooden or combusti- 
ble floors and ceilings shall hereafter enter any flue unless the said pipe 
where it enters the flue shall be at least twelve inches from either the 
floors or ceilings ; and in all cases where smoke-pipes pass through stud 
or wooden partitions of any kind, whether the same be plastered or not, 
they shall be guarded by a soapstone ring, not less than four inches in 
thickness, and extend through the partition. In all cases where hot water, 
steam, hot-air, or other furnaces are used, the furnace smoke-pipe must be 
kept at least two feet below the beams or ceiling above the same, unless 
said beams or ceiling shall be properly protected by a shield or tin plate 
suspended at least one inch below said beams or ceiling above said smoke- 
pipe; and the top of all furnaces set in brick must be covered with brick, 
supported by iron bars and so constructed as to be perfectly tight ; said 
covering to be in addition to and not less than six inches from the ordi- 
nary covering to the hot-air chamber. If, however, there is not height 
enough to build the furnace top to at least four inches below the floor- 
beams or ceilings, then the floor-beams must be trimmed around the fur- 
nace, and said covering and the trimmers and headers must be at least 
four inches from the same. The top of eveiy portable furnace not set in 
brick shall be kept at least one foot below the beams or ceiling with a 
shield of tin plate, made tight, and suspended not less than one inch 
below the said beams or ceilings, and extended one foot beyond the top 
of the furnace on all sides. All hot-air registers hereafter placed in the 



THE BUILDING ACT. Ill 

floor of any building shall be set in soapstone borders not less than two 
inches in width. All soapstone borders to be firmly set in plaster of 
Pai'is or gauged mortar. All floor register-boxes to be made of tin plate, 
with a flange on the top to fit the groove in the soapstone, the register to 
rest upon the same. There shall also be an open space of one inch on 
all sides of the register-box, extending from the under side of the ceiling, 
below the register, to the soapstone in the floor ; the outside of said space 
to be covered with a casting of tin plate, made tight on all sides, to extend 
from the under side of the aforesaid ceiling up to and turn under the said 
soapstone. Registers of fifteen by twenty-five inches, or more, shall have 
a space of two inches. No woodwork shall be placed at a less distance 
than one inch from any tin or other metal flue or flues, pipe or pipes, used 
or intended to be used to convey heated air in any building, unless pro- 
tected by a soapstone or earthen ring or tube, or a metal casing so con- 
structed as to permit free circulation of air around said pipes or flues. In 
all cases where hot-water, steam, hot-air, or other furnaces or ranges, are 
hereafter placed, or their location changed, in any building, due notice 
shall first be given to the inspector of buildings, by the person or persons 
placing said furnace or ranges in said building. 

In all cases where ranges or boilers are set, the outside of the flue to 
the same shall be plastered on the outside directly upon the bricks up to 
the ceiling of the room. 

Sect. 17. If any chimney, flue, or heating apparatus on any premises 
in the city of Boston shall, in the opinion of the inspector of buildings, 
be dangerous or unsafe by reason of endangering the premises by fire or 
otherwise, the inspector shall at once notify, in writing, the owner, agent, 
or other party having an interest in said premises, and shall require him to 
make the same safe ; and upon neglect of said person so notified to com- 
ply with the provisions of said notice, for a period of twenty-four hours 
after the service of said notice upon him, he shall at once become liable 
to a penalty of not less than twenty, nor more than fifty dollars, for every 
day's continuance of said unsafe structure. 

Sect. 18. All boiler or engine-rooms hereafter constructed in any 
building other than dwelling-houses shall be constructed of brick and 
iron, and shall be so arranged that all openings between the said boiler or 
engine-room, and other parts of the building in which it is placed, shall 
be closed by iron or metal covered doors, which shall be securely closed 
at the close of each day. 

Upon a license being granted by the mayor and board of aldermen of 
the city of Boston for the erection of a steam-boiler, engine, or furnace 



112 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

for melting glass, iron, or other metal, in any building in the said city, the 
person or persons receiving said license shall, before setting, erecting, or 
placing said boiler, engine, or furnace, file an application for a permit 
therefor, with the inspector of buildings, who shall prescribe such regula- 
tions for the setting or placing thereof as the public safety may require ; 
and no person or persons shall erect, set, or place any boiler, engine, fur- 
nace, or oven without a permit from said inspector. 

All flues for ranges, boilers, furnaces, and ovens, shall be of brick- 
work, eight inches in thickness, to a height of twenty-five feet above such 
ranges, boilers, furnaces, or ovens. 

Sect, 19. No Mansard or other roof shall be constructed more than 
one story in height, nor more than twenty feet in height from the upper 
floor of the building upon which it is placed, to the highest part of said 
roof, unless the same is constructed of fire-proof material throughout. No 
bay window shall be constructed of wood, which shall extend more than 
three feet above the second story from the street. 

All the exterior parts of any building or buildings hereafter erected, 
which are more than forty-five feet above the level of the sidewalk, shall 
be made of or covered with non-combustible material, to be approved by 
the inspector of buildings. All fire-proof cornices shall be well secured 
to the walls with iron anchors, independent of any woodwork ; and in all 
cases the walls shall be carried up to the planking of the roof, and 
where the cornice projects above the roof, the wall shall be carried up to 
the top of the cornices, and all exterior wooddn cornices that shall here- 
after require to be replaced shall be constructed of some non-combus- 
tible material, as required for new buildings ; and all exterior wooden 
cornices or gutters that may hereafter be damaged by fire shall be taken 
down, and, if replaced, shall be constructed of fire-proof material. 

All buildings hereafter erected shall be kept provided with proper 
metallic leaders for conducting the water from the roof to the ground, 
sewer, or street gutter, in such manner as shall protect the walls and foun- 
dations from damage ; and in no case shall the water from the said leaders 
be allowed to flow upon the sidewalk, but shall be conducted by drain- 
pipe, or pipes, to the street gutter or sewer. 

Sect. 20. All buildings hereafter erected, the eaves of which exceed 
sixty feet in height above the level of the sidewalk, shall have the roofs 
thereof constructed in a fire-proof manner, as hereinafter specified ; but 
the total height of such buildings, exclusive of chimneys and party walls, 
shall not exceed seventy-five feet. 

All joists, beams, rafters, purlins, jack rafters, plates, struts, ties, arches, 



THE BUILDING ACT. II3 

shall be made of cast or wrought iron, or some other metal, stone, brick, 
cement, mortar, or other incombustible material, and covered with corru- 
gated iron, sheet or cast iron, tin, copper, zinc, or other metal, or slate, 
stone, brick, cement, mortar, or other incombustible material. 

All structures or projections above or outside of the roof, such as 
domes, cupolas, pavilions, towers, spires, pinnacles, buttresses, lanterns, 
louvres, luthem and dormer windows, skylights, scuttles, ventilators, cor- 
nices, gutters, shall be made, constructed, framed, and covered with cast 
or wrought iron, tin, copper, zinc, or other metal, or stone, slate, brick, 
cement, or mortar, or other incombustible material. 

Sect. 21. No building already erected, or hereafter to be built in 
said city, shall be raised or built upon in such manner that, were such 
building wholly built or constructed after the passage of this act, it would 
be in violation of any of the provisions of this act. And before any build- 
ing built of stone, brick, or iron, or any wooden building with or without 
a brick front, in any part of said city, shall be enlarged, raised, altered, or 
built upon, the same shall be first examined by the said inspector, to ascer- 
tain if the building or buildings, or either of them, are in a good and safe 
condition to be enlarged, raised, altered, or built upon ; and no such build- 
ings as aforesaid shall be enlarged, raised, altered, or built upon until after 
such examination and decision ; and the decision of said inspector, under 
such examination, shall be final and conclusive in the premises, except as 
hereinafter provided, and shall be made without delay. 

Sect. 22. The inspector of buildings shall have full power to pass 
upon any question arising under the provisions of this act, relative to the 
manner of construction, or materials to be used in the erection, alteration, 
or repair of any building in the city of Boston, and he may require that 
plans of the proposed erection, alterations, or repairs, shall be submitted 
for inspection before issuing his permit : provided, however, that should 
any question arise between the inspector of buildings and the owner or 
architect of any building, or should the owner or architect object to any 
order or decision of said inspector, the matter shall be referred to a com- 
mittee of three persons, who shall be either architects or master-builders, 
one to be chosen by the inspector of buildings, one by the owner or other 
interested party, and these two shall choose a third ; and the decision of 
these referees, submitted in writing, shall be final and conclusive in the 
premises. 

PENALTIES. 

Sect. 23. If any person or persons, whether owner or owners, con- 
tractor or contractors, builder or builders, shall begin to erect, construct. 



114 THE BOSTON FIRE. 

build, or alter any building or structure, within the city of Boston, without 
first obtaining a permit from the inspector of buildings of said city, such 
person or persons shall forfeit and pay the sum of not less than one hun- 
dred dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars, for each and every such 
offence ; and if any person or persons, as aforesaid, shall proceed to com- 
plete any building or structure in the city of Boston, without having the 
same inspected as by law required, or shall violate any or either of the pro- 
visions of this act, or the act of which this act is an amendment, or of any 
other act in amendment thereof, for the violation of which no other pen- 
alties are therein or hereinbefore provided, he or they shall forfeit and pay 
not less than one hundred dollars, and not more than one thousand dollars, 
for each and every such violation, and the further sum of one hundred 
dollars for each and every week that he or they shall maintain any build- 
ing or structure in violation of any provision of this act, or of the act of 
which this act is an amendment, or of any other act in amendment thereof. 
All penalties under this act shall be recoverable by the city of Boston in an 
action of tort. If any person or persons, whether owner or owners, con- 
tractor or contractors, builder or builders, shall erect or alter any build- 
ing or structure in the city of Boston, in violation of any or either of the 
provisions of this act, or of the act of which this act is an amendment, or 
of any amendment thereof, it shall be lawful for the supreme judicial 
court, or any justice thereof, either in term-time or in vacation, to issue 
forthwith an injunction, restraining such person or persons from further 
progress in said work until the facts of the case shall have been investi- 
gated and detennined; and if it shall appear to said court, or to any jus- 
tice thereof, upon such investigation, that such building or structure does 
not in all respects conform to the provisions of this act, and of the act of 
which this act is an amendment, and of all amendments thereof, said court 
or justice shall issue an injunction to restrain the continuance of the work 
upon such building or stracture, and shall order the removal, within a time 
to be fixed by said court or justice, of so much of said building or struc- 
ture as may be decreed by said court or justice to be in violation of the 
provisions of this act, or of the act of which this act is an amendment, or 
of any act in amendment thereof. 

Sect. 24. The provisions of this act shall not apply to the passenger 
stations of the Boston and Lowell, and Boston and Providenae Railroad 
corporations, now in process of erection in the city of Boston ; but such 
precautions shall be provided for protection against, and for the extin- 
guishment of, fire, under the penalties of this act, as the inspector of pub- 
lic buildings shall require. 



THE BUILDING ACT. II5 

SECT 25 The inspector and assistant inspector of the department for 
the survey and inspection of buildings in the city of Boston, shall be able 
and experienced architects, builders, or mechanics, competent to perform 
all the duties of the office to which they are appointed, and such mspectors 
shall not be employed or engaged in any other vocation, or be interested 
in any contract or contracts for building or for furnishing materials. 

Sect. 26. This act shall take effect upon its passage. 

Approved, December 14, 1872. 



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